A monochromatic decorator’s scheme can work in real homes and not just in magazine layouts. By applying some of the same techniques used by the pros, you can have a professional decorator’s touch minus the photo spread price tag.
When you flip through the pages of home magazines, it can be the layering and repeated use of a color in one featured living room, kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom that is quickly eye-catching and desirable. Look at the elements that draw you in; you are likely focusing on wall color, fabrics, wall art, and decorative pieces. Using the same or similar color palette in one room or area of your home can be pulled off to create a cohesive look.
The monochromatic look works when a.) it is not overdone, b.) it touches on the different heights of a room, and c.) it is spread out nicely in a way that looks purposed but not sterile or choppy. So, first, choose an accent color that you would like to feature in a space. This can come from similar-colored items you pull from different rooms and bring together in one area or a shade you want to keep an eye out for in items you plan to add to your home when shopping. Components to keep in mind are paint, wall art or framed photographs with a similar setting or background, accent pillows or fabric throws or towels, area rugs, lamp shades and bases, pottery or sculptural pieces, and small items such as candles and books.
Painting just a wall or a room one standout shade sets the backdrop for a monochromatic layout boldly and with purpose. That can be achieved with a $20 to $40+ trip to the hardware store. But the same goal can similarly be achieved without picking up a paint brush. To ensure you touch on all the right spots, think high, mid, and low for your colored accents. Placing a short stack of books with the same colored spines alongside a tinted glass vase on a high shelf draws the eye up. Hanging frames, artwork, and photos on the wall around eye level fills in the mid section, along with the placement of lamps and throw pillows. Scattering decorative boxes, ceramics, and modern knickknacks on coffee and end tables, right down to an attractive area rug brings the eye lower. You visually take it all in and connect the dots to see the same shade throughout the space, creating a unified look.
You do not have to be matchy-matchy to pull off monochromatic with style. The right blend of shade and neutrals can meld together to reveal a space planned out with a good eye and a crafty hand for a colorful outcome.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 6th.
