How to Use Accent Colors to Make Your Home Happier

Are you looking for ways to make your home a more stylish and happier place? Try having some fun with accent colors! Research has shown that when your eyes connect with a particular color, your brain releases different chemicals that can impact you physically and emotionally. Learn which colors to use and how to use them to add pops of color in every room.

What is an accent color?

Accent colors are the pops of color in a room that leap out to the eye. While they’re often bright, bold colors, like vivid yellow pillows on an all-white bed, an accent color can actually be any color that stands out from its surroundings. By incorporating a chosen accent color throughout a room or space multiple times, you can give the room a cohesive, finished look. Accent colors create interest and can even encourage a particular mood or feeling.

How to choose accent colors for your furniture

If you want to use an accent color strategically to pull a room together and make it look and feel complete, choosing a monochromatic color scheme may be your best bet. This means choosing one color, and creating accents using a different shade; for example, adding light blue pillows to a dark blue couch.

Analogous colors, or colors next to each other on the color wheel, also can be used to create more tranquil, harmonious designs. Purple is analogous to blue, red is analogous to pink, and so on!

If you want to use an accent as a vibrant pop of color, consider using complementary colors. If you’ve forgotten what you learned in elementary art class, complementary means the color that is across from it on the color wheel. In the example above, this would mean adding orange accents to create a dramatic contrast against your blue couch.

These aren’t the only methods of choosing accent colors, but they can serve as great starting places! When it comes to furnishing and decorating your own space, the only rule is that the result brings you a whole lot of happiness.

The following are tried and true accent color combinations to consider, depending on the color of your furniture:

• Gray: Wondering what accent color goes with gray? You’ve got lots of options! The combination of gray with a cool color like blue is calming and peaceful – perfect for a bedroom or living room where you’ll go to relax. Conversely, brighten up gray décor with accents of yellow, red, or other warm colors for some added cheer.
• Brown: Pull out the warmer tones in brown furniture or décor by pairing it with a lively color like rose or gold. Couple a brown with deep orange and red undertones. Or, complement your taupe brown couch with blues and greens for a bold and trendy result.
• Blue: For a serene space, consider a combination of different shades of blue or an analogous color, like purple or green. If you’re designing a more daring space, accent it with a high-contrast color like yellow, red, or orange.
• Beige: Beige is a great neutral, and offers lots of accent color options. Beige often has yellow undertones, so pairing it with yellow’s complementary colors like purple or blue creates a beautiful contrast. If you want to design a space that’s particularly bright, light, and airy, add accents of crisp white or a warm coral.
• Purple: For a dramatic effect, pair purple with its complement, yellow. If you’re hoping for more calm and less contrast, use accents of an analogous color like blue or red.
• Yellow: Make the entire room feel like sunshine by adding accents of another warm color like orange, or go big with a cool-toned complement, like purple or blue. If you want to keep the room sunny and bright, a soft gray or bright white can do the trick.
• Green: If you’re not afraid of things potentially feeling a bit festive, green’s complement is red. Alternatively, green pairs beautifully with its analogous colors, yellow or blue. Consider green’s undertones as well: a yellow-green may look best with a shade of violet, while a blue-green pairs well with orange.
• Red: For a regal effect, couple red with purple accents, or keep the entire space fiery warm with orange accents. For a moody, romantic look, try combining red or black. For a softer room, pair it with a creamy white or beige.

Now you know what accent colors are (and how many options you have!), but how exactly do you accent a room with color? There are endless ways to incorporate accent colors into your space, no matter your budget.

Remember, when it comes to an accent color, less is often more. Rugs, lamps, curtains, art, pillows, throw blankets, frames, walls, and even plants are all ways to bring your chosen accent color into your home. Try to space accents evenly throughout a room. A few strategic pops of color can transform your environment – and your mood! Bring on the color, and bring on the joy.

You don’t need to paint walls or spend a fortune to make your accent color design dreams a reality. In fact, creating a beautiful space with accent colors can be as easy as picking the right furniture! The Ashley Kiessell Sofa Loveseat & Accent Chair set from Rent-A-Center combines splashes of a vibrant blue pattern with a deep, cool-toned gray in a set that’s as cozy as it is fun. The set includes the Ashley sofa and loveseat in an updated gray nuvella fabric, and accent chair that matches the included pillows. And when you buy at Rent-A-Center, you can avoid major upfront costs with flexible payment options.

Add color, boost your style, and increase your happiness with the right furniture and accent colors from your local Rent-A-Center! We’ve got the right furniture for any room in your home. Start shopping today!