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104 | April 2019
BLACK
ACCENTS
A touch of black cuts
the color without clashing
or competing. Try
one of these additions:FRAMES
They give walls a graphic
punch. Try ikea.com.ACCENT CHAIR
Look for one with an
open back that
won’t overpower the space.
Bellacor.com has some.CURVY LAMP
Choose a silhouette
that will stand out.
Check out lampsplus.com.SIDE TABLE
Go for something shapely
and slender.
Look at target.com.1
Let the walls
carry the color
you want to read
as a neutral. Build
out the room with
furnishings in a
more saturated
tone to balance the
space. The burgundy
sofa, above, and
wine-color ottoman
mute carnation-
pink walls.2
The darkest
tones of your
palette (here that is
burgundy) give your
room defi nition and a
sense of grounding; the
lightest (lavender throw
pillows, for example)
keep the eye moving.
Use accent pieces in
several variations of
these tones to create
subtle color shifts.3
Monochromatic
palettes need
the visual interest that
comes with varying
textures in upholstery
fabrics and accessories.
Here a velvet ottoman
juxtaposes with a
patterned linen sofa.
Another idea: Pair a
smooth leather
armchair with nubby
wool pillows.The key to shifting a color into neutral: Look for hues
that aren’t too bright, too pastel, too crisp, or too clean.
Think muted, dusty, desaturated. Even when dark,
neutrals have gray mixed in to take the edge off. Here’s
how to put your color into background mode.HOW TO
LAYER
TONES
Decorating in
a monochromatic
scheme—multiple
tones of a single
color—calms a room
by cradling it
in color while
minimizing contrast.How towrap a room in