How to Go Big and Bold With Colour
Designers show us how to pull off vivid, often unexpected combinations
Classic colour pairings—black and white, cream and grey, shades of blue—are safe. Mixing unexpected, bold colour hues is riskier, but can often yield a greater reward. In recent months, it seems, designers have been betting it all, opting for vibrant, daring palettes over muted minimalism.
These are the kind of statement-making bold colour combinations that may seem daunting on a mood board but that we dream of replicating in our own homes. So we turned to the experts and asked them for tips on going big, daring and bold.
- this 646-square-foot apartment in Paris’s Pigalle neighborhood</a>. They appointed the space with “Cherry red for passion, sea green around the mirrors to calm things down, acid yellow in <a href=https://www.admiddleeast.com/"https://www.admiddleeast.com/story/minimalist-style-interiors-find-warmth-and-comfort-in-this-brazilian-home/">stripes to energize the traffic flow, and a neutral white background—a bold palette designed to enhance the original darkness rather than deny it,” the designers say. “Each shade was chosen for its ability to create rhythm, tension, and harmony within the space. Pigalle itself, with its vibrant, eclectic spirit, was a strong source of inspiration—we wanted the apartment to feel as alive and expressive as the neighbourhood outside its windows.”","contentType":"photo","credit":"Photo: Yannick Labrousse","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":427,"width":320,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_320,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"},{"height":853,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_640,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":853,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_640,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"},{"height":1707,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_1280,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1365,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_1024,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"},{"height":2731,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_2048,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1707,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_1280,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1707,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d2/master/w_1280,c_limit/AtelierHA_08@Yannick%20Labrousse.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Photo: Yannick Labrousse1/5Create a story with the colors
Adèle Nourry and Hugo Vince of Atelier HA made a maximum impact when they designed this 646-square-foot apartment in Paris’s Pigalle neighborhood. They appointed the space with “Cherry red for passion, sea green around the mirrors to calm things down, acid yellow in stripes to energize the traffic flow, and a neutral white background—a bold palette designed to enhance the original darkness rather than deny it,” the designers say. “Each shade was chosen for its ability to create rhythm, tension, and harmony within the space. Pigalle itself, with its vibrant, eclectic spirit, was a strong source of inspiration—we wanted the apartment to feel as alive and expressive as the neighbourhood outside its windows.”
- artwork and textiles</a> pick up these colours here and there—not in a matchy-matchy way, but more like an echo—which gives the room a sense of cohesion while still feeling collected and lived-in. And one of my favourite little moments is the deep red door jambs. This living room <a href=https://www.admiddleeast.com/"https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/litchfield-county-connecticut-estate-hendricks-churchill/">opens into three different rooms, each with its own trim color</a>, and those red jambs quietly tie all three transitions together.”","contentType":"photo","credit":"Photo: Chris Mottalini","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":241,"width":320,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_320,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"},{"height":482,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_640,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":482,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_640,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"},{"height":963,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_1280,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":771,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_1024,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"},{"height":1541,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_2048,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":963,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_1280,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":963,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d3/master/w_1280,c_limit/HendricksChurchill_Litchfield_10214.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Photo: Chris Mottalini2/5Fun accents are your friend
“Our use of colour in this room works because it strikes a nice balance between richness and restraint,” Heide Hendricks of Hendricks Churchill tells AD. “The deep purples, mossy greens, and warm wood tones all have the same kind of depth, so even though the palette is layered and a little complex, everything feels like it naturally belongs together. The saturated drapery and sofa ground the space, while the pale blue walls keep things from feeling too heavy. The artwork and textiles pick up these colours here and there—not in a matchy-matchy way, but more like an echo—which gives the room a sense of cohesion while still feeling collected and lived-in. And one of my favourite little moments is the deep red door jambs. This living room opens into three different rooms, each with its own trim color, and those red jambs quietly tie all three transitions together.”
- 1920s New Jersey craftsman-style home</a> with “deep blues, spicy oranges and leopard print because they matched the spirit of the owner: eclectic, exuberant and unafraid of contrast. When the palette channels the spirit of its owner, the space comes together effortlessly.”","contentType":"photo","credit":"Photo: William Jess Laird","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":400,"width":320,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_320,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"},{"height":800,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_640,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":800,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_640,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"},{"height":1600,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_1280,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1280,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_1024,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"},{"height":2559,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_2048,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1600,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_1280,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1600,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d4/master/w_1280,c_limit/LIPR%20-%20Bryan%20O'Sullivan%20Studio%20-%20Rago%20-%20Photography%20by:%20William%20Jess%20Laird%20(52)%20copy.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
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Photo: William Jess Laird3/5Be intentional
“Bold colour only becomes overwhelming when it feels accidental,” says Bryan O’Sullivan. “If every shade has a purpose—whether to add warmth, depth or a sense of mood—the scheme gains confidence.” The designer decked out this 1920s New Jersey craftsman-style home with “deep blues, spicy oranges and leopard print because they matched the spirit of the owner: eclectic, exuberant and unafraid of contrast. When the palette channels the spirit of its owner, the space comes together effortlessly.”
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- this 19th-century Brooklyn Brownstone</a>. The designer mixed patterns, styles, and colours throughout the five-story residence. In the kitchen, sage green plays with an unexpected pop of burgundy—but the tiled backsplash ties it all together.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Photo: Fernando Marroquin","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":413,"width":320,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_320,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"},{"height":826,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_640,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":826,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_640,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"},{"height":1651,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_1280,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1321,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_1024,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"},{"height":2642,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_2048,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1651,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_1280,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1651,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d5/master/w_1280,c_limit/AD1025_HAMILL_3%20copy%202.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Photo: Fernando Marroquin4/5Tie it all together
Leonora Hamill was given the design brief to employ “power clashing” for this 19th-century Brooklyn Brownstone. The designer mixed patterns, styles, and colours throughout the five-story residence. In the kitchen, sage green plays with an unexpected pop of burgundy—but the tiled backsplash ties it all together.
- this Beachwood Canyon living room</a>, I knew we were going to leave the walls and ceiling white as the living room connects to a loft space above,” explains designer Leah Ring of Another Human. “Since we have a neutral wall, I wanted to give the space a jolt of colour with the cobalt blue rug, and then layer in some more colours and textures to diffuse the blue a bit. The olive green sofa and black and white graphic chairs help break up the block of blue, and then we sprinkled in some red accents which match the intensity of saturation of the blue.”","contentType":"photo","credit":"Photo: Lance Gerber","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":400,"width":320,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_320,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"},{"height":800,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_640,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":800,"width":640,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_640,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"},{"height":1600,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_1280,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1280,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_1024,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"},{"height":2560,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_2048,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1600,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_1280,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1600,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.admiddleeast.com/photos/6943954f8738de6ae91c93d6/master/w_1280,c_limit/Another%20Human_Glen%20Living%202.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Photo: Lance Gerber5/5Use hues to wake up white walls
“For this Beachwood Canyon living room, I knew we were going to leave the walls and ceiling white as the living room connects to a loft space above,” explains designer Leah Ring of Another Human. “Since we have a neutral wall, I wanted to give the space a jolt of colour with the cobalt blue rug, and then layer in some more colours and textures to diffuse the blue a bit. The olive green sofa and black and white graphic chairs help break up the block of blue, and then we sprinkled in some red accents which match the intensity of saturation of the blue.”
