Infusing color in your projects can be a daunting yet transformative proposition. This week we asked seven designers—Sara Bengur, Catie Casazza, Stephanie Feinerman, Charli Hendler, Amy Kalikow, Kristen McCory and Stephanie Wiott—how the hues they choose impact their spaces in fun and distinctive ways.
Multiuse Resource
“Painted millwork, built-ins or standout furniture pieces can instantly infuse a room with character. I also love incorporating vibrant furniture, accents and textiles—those bold choices often become the focal point that draws the eye and makes the room feel complete. Consider using art not just for its subject but for how it’s framed or matted with color, adding another layer of design. Some spaces come alive with contrast and bold pops of color, while others shine with a more monochromatic or cohesive palette. Either way, color often ties a project together, and finding unique ways to incorporate it can elevate your design beyond the ordinary.” —Stephanie Feinerman, Stephanie Feinerman Design, Los Angeles
Not All About That Base
“Throughout the home, our base color is still typically some shade of white, and then we add all the unique color options from these. We decide on where it makes sense, or where we can get away with something a little—or a lot—more fun! For instance, we recently did a home and found a fun wallpaper of Ben Franklin blowing a gum bubble. We loved it, the client agreed to it, and we then decided it would be fun in the workout room! It’s so exciting every time you walk into that room; the client has said that it actually makes him want to work out now! Another easy and fun place to add pops of drama and color are powder rooms. Because they are small and their own little closed-off room, it’s a no-brainer to add something rich in there, whether wallpaper or paint on all the walls, ceiling and trim.” —Stephanie Wiott, Stephanie Wiott Designs, Carmel, Indiana
Turn the tables
“Aside from pillows, art or wallpaper to add color and playfulness to spaces, I infuse coffee tables with color to really pop against the neutral palettes. Colored-glass or glazed-lava-stone tables in beautiful jewel tones have been recent sourced items, also infusing subtle accents of color in lighting. Focusing on one accent color in a space provides focus for the visitor and really adds a sense of definition for the space.” —Amy Kalikow, Amy Kalikow Design, New York
Ease Into It
“We are in a golden age of color appreciation. Vibrant wallpapers on ceilings, hot pink lacquer crown moldings, yellow kitchen appliances, color-drenched spaces where the carpet matches the drapes matches the walls! These are some fun ways to introduce a splash (or deluge) of color into your space. It is easy to warm up a neutral room by adding an unexpected pop of color just about anywhere. Starting small with a brightly colored AC vent against a neutral wall is a good way to ease into the colorverse before jumping into something a little more major like a brightly colored refrigerator.” —Catie Casazza, CRL Construction, Sherman Oaks, California
Be Experimental
“We often look for different ways to use color. Using colorful appliances is a unique way to bring life into a kitchen along with painting the inside of the cabinets to match. Recently we designed a kitchen around a burgundy red Lacanche range. It set the tone for the entire kitchen, and opened up opportunities within the design we were not expecting. Painting the jamb of a cased opening in an unexpected color will create interest between transitional spaces, or a consistent-color staircase will quickly become the heroine in any foyer, if the treads, risers, trim, post and handrails all match. When using color, be experimental. Beautiful things will unfold.” —Kristen McCory, McCory Interiors, Burlington, Connecticut
Find Your Zen
“I use a lot of it! I feel the more color you use in a room, the better and more interesting, as long as they are compatible hues. I am now incorporating Vastu—ancient Vedic practice for clearing spaces—to choose colors that are aligned with the cardinal directions and five elements to help keep the energy flowing. I always say color is Zen too! People love to be in nature, and nature is our biggest teacher when it comes to color. Look at the abundance of colors and textures in flowers, trees, mountains and oceans. Why not bring this abundance and celebration of color into our home? We can use color on the walls; by layering muted upholstery with colorful pillows; or by adding a blue or red lampshade to a lamp. It is the layering that makes an interior complete and keeps the eye inspired. I feel the less you match colors, and the more you combine them unexpectedly, the longer you will enjoy them—and [that] also [becomes] easier to update with a new throw or carpet.” —Sara Bengur, Sara Bengur Interiors, New York
The Little Details
“I have gone bold by utilizing saturated color on focal points like millwork, which is an excellent way to ground a room with a strong intensity. Alternatively, I have brought color through in more subtle ways, for instance on the piping of a sofa, which creates a small injection of color with a substantial but more subtle punch. At the end of the day, utilizing color is about balancing fun and sophistication.” —Charli Hendler, August Black Interior Design, New York
