Design 80% of the room following a main philosophy, style and color, and use the remaining 20% to explore and add a different touch. For example, you could have rustic French sofas, coastal art decorations, or bohemian tapestries and rugs. Choose a neutral color for most of the room and a bold color for the main wall to create a focal point and add visual interest,” explains Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight. Neutral colors serve as a base for the room, while decorative colors add interest and depth,” says Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight.
The 80-20 design rule is a key piece of advice from the interior designer and states that the majority (80%) of your room's color scheme should be neutral. Working at Period Living brought with it a vision of the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decoration to choosing the right windows and the challenges involved in expanding them. The 80 to 20 color rule is one of the easiest design rules to implement and, if done correctly, can have transformative effects on the way you dress your home. After graduating with a first-level degree in English literature, Holly began her career as a feature film writer and sub-editor of Period Living magazine, the sister title of Homes & Gardens.
Decorative walls aren't just based on solid colors either: try experimenting with wall mural ideas or even an overlapping wall to add texture and depth to your design. You can also get inspired by interior designers and learn what color combinations for rooms they recommend to see what colors professionals usually combine. Design expertise in your inbox: from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening tips and shopping summaries. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, in addition to regularly publishing articles in Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has allowed her to expand her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature.
Yvonne Pratt, from the interior design blog StoneGable, is a pro at blending design styles in her beautiful Pennsylvania home. For example, if you have a red brick fireplace, you can choose its rust color as an accent color in your room to make the fireplace stand out. In the same way, what works well for one design firm isn't necessarily what will produce results for another. Whether you opt for a pair of accent colors for beige or prefer to decorate with primary colors, there are plenty of options to choose from.
