Using accent colors in surprising places

Brightening your home can be accomplished quickly, easily and cheaply. There's no need, however, to limit yourself to using color only on walls when there are so many other opportunities in your home to use an accent color.

If you’re looking around and see a neutral-hued home, try adding color in these unique places.

Bookshelves

Whether you have built-in or freestanding bookcases, painting the inside of it adds color to a room in an unexpected way while becoming an attractive backdrop for whatever you put on the shelves.

Storage units

Just because your storage cabinets are practical doesn’t mean they have to get lost in the background. Choose a bright, bold color to truly make a statement.

Collections

Try placing several small pieces of pottery together to add color to any neutral-colored room. Grouping pieces is both art and science. Too much looks like clutter; too few and it looks like an accident.

Painted furniture

From bright to subdued, solid or patterned, and finishes ranging from antique to distressed, painting wooden furniture can give an old piece new life while adding color to any room. You're really only limited to your imagination.

Interior doors

You may give a lot of consideration to the color of your exterior doors, but not give your interior doors much of a thought at all. Painting an interior door with a bold color packs a punch, especially for a hallway or rooms bathed in neutral tones. You may choose to paint the woodwork around windows and along floorboards to match the door or keep them white, which allows the door to do all the talking.

Dining chairs

If your dining room is filled with neutral tones, adding brightly colored chairs is a great way to add color. Mismatched chairs painted the same color with coordinating cushions is a great way to add color, unique pieces, and whimsy to your dining room.

Floors

Often considered taboo, painting a floor has been a no-no, but it really depends on how the room is used. You may choose to paint the floor of a child's room, craft room or game room, just to name a few.

Window seats

One of the coolest places to use an accent color is in a window seat alcove. You may choose to enhance the view outside or paint it in a warm inviting color to create a bright, cheerful space for a reading nook.

Ceilings

For the most part, ceilings don't vary much when it comes to color. That being said, a bold color on the ceiling is a bold choice and can add character to any room.

Stairs

Perhaps more surprising than adding color to a ceiling or painting the floor, painting the stairs has been a decorating trend for a couple of years. You may choose colors to coordinate with those in other areas of your home, or do something odd or whimsical or daring.