Guess which colors are the top three sellers at Bemz? Well, let me give you this hint: all three are neutral shades. The popularity of neutral shades is not something that is unique to Bemz. It's a national obsession - probably due to the fact that many people are nervous about using color in case they make a terrible (and costly) mistake!
Here are a few simple guidelines that will help you confidently use color throughout your home.
It’s generally considered best to keep to three colors: a base color, a main contrast color and an accent color, which is used more sparingly to highlight specific areas and draw the eye around the room. To create the 'brights' look in your home, opt for sharp contrasts such as white or black as your base, teamed with clashing brights for a look that’s modern and edgy! In the left picture above, the pink/red is the base color providing the bright factor, white is a base for the walls and orange is a perfectly clashing bright color that gives the room a modern, playful look. For something more sophisticated like the photo to the right, choose softer tones, such as stone, charcoal and greys, with just one bold color, like Bamboo Green or Daiquiri Green as your accent.
A foolproof way to use bright colors in your home is to choose one prominent multi-colored item - like this bold Josephine - Strong Pink slipcover pictured above, or perhaps some vibrant feature wallpaper, a funky duvet cover or a brightly colored rug, and then simply select two colors from within it (pink and blue in the case above!), to use as your contrast and accent shades, teamed with a complementary neutral base color (black, in the example above) to make the look work.
Fashion colors change with each season, so if longevity is a major concern, keep the main elements of your room in classic neutral tones as pictured left, but add color with your accessories. Paint one wall in a strong color as a backdrop to some bold artwork, or make the wall itself a feature with the bold stripes above. Alternatively, you can pull the look together with a few carefully selected items such as lamps, cushions, or vases. The bold and colorful cushion covers chosen right make a colorful statement and the really great thing about this is that you can easily update your room without too much expense, simply by re-painting the wall and changing a few cushion covers.
For some extra ‘wow factor’, add a bold ‘statement' piece of furniture, like this Strömstad sofa with a Stockholm Stripe - Daiquiri/Teal Blue slipcover. By keeping the rest of the room neutral and just playing with the colors present in the slipcover the bold pattern is stunning rather than overwhelming. Plus, with slipcovers from Bemz, you can always alter your statement with a new color or pattern.
To achieve a 'show-home' look, choose a dynamic color palette and use it throughout your entire home. This can help to give a feeling of added space because the rooms 'flow' into each other. To ensure each room still looks individual, simply change the emphasis on the colors used; for example, the color used as an accent in one room can become the main contrast color in another.
Oh yeah - and have you guessed the top three colors sold at Bemz? They are Soft White, Zinc Grey and Graphite Grey. Pretty sophisticated group!
Credit: John Whitwell, John Lewis; photos: Bemz
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