Living Room Rugs: February 2010 Archives

What accent colors to decorate my living room? My walls are light yellow and my furniture is dark brown?

The best accents for a room like that would be orange, moss green, or deep red. You need something to give off a shot of color when you walk in the room. Light yellow and brown with orange is reminiscent of fall colors, so they can work together.

Colors that look like this http://houseofarearugs.com/Mystique-0020-Multi-p-544.html would be perfect in your room.

I'd avoid colors like blue, other shades of yellow, cream, or white.

What are relaxing colors to paint my living room and kitchen?

I've had yellow kitchens and yellow living rooms, and I can honestly say that having yellow walls did cause me to feel stressed. My floor was beige as well, and the colors just all worked together in a sort of dull swirl.

Relaxing colors for kitchens are taupe, mochas, and blues. Avoid brights like red and orange. Strong colors like that make one feel as though you are startled every time you walk in the room. I'd go with a dark mocha in your kitchen, something that makes you think of coffee.

Your living room should be a complementary color that is similar to the kitchen. The rooms in your home should always flow together. For a good idea of what colors work well, choose a palette sample from a paint store. If you choose one main color for your kitchen, you should be able to have three or four complementary colors that match on the palette. Choose one of these colors for your living room.

Tie everything together with an accessory that has strong colors, because with neutral walls you are free to go wild with color in other ways. With mochas and taupes, you can accessorize with orange, blue, red, and even yellow if you like it.  Buy a big area rug for under your table such as this Mystique multi area rug. Add some nice throw pillows to your couch, art work in your kitchen, or a cozy blanket for reading in strong, bright colors.

I think with neutrals, you'll find your house much more relaxing. 

I have a dark floor and have just bought a mink and nutmeg sofa. what color paint and rug do you suggest?

It depends on how adventurous you are. If you decorate conservatively, I'd say stick to neutral paint and maybe spice it on on the floor with a contemporary or modern area rug like this Allure Silver area rug or this Aria Natural area rug . Focus on natural, earth tones for your colors on your walls.

If you like to spice it up a bit, you could have steel blue walls with a couch that color, and add chocolate brown/blue throw pillows on your couch. For your focal point, add a large area rug like this Beige and Blue contemporary area rug. Choose bold fabric for your pillows, as it will liven up your room that much more.