When direct designer Chelsie Lee began working with this Brooklyn brownstone, she needed shade — a lot of it. The homeowners loved travel, pop art and vibrant color palettes, so Lee combined those themes into a bold method: color-blocked walls.
Using a custom Peruvian blanket couch and bright light rug as inspiration, Lee made in contrasting colors and varying shades of red to make each space unique yet still a part of a cohesive whole.
By walking through her own project, Lee, of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, demonstrates how you can incorporate interesting decorative elements on a smaller, subtler scale.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Use varying colors of the exact same color. This tone-on-tone technique uses the exact same color in various colors to create a stunning look. Here, Lee revamped the trunk of bookshelves. The teal functions as a dramatic accent.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Design lines to reflect architectural elements. When setting out your look, use wall designs that complement lines already in the space. The reflective paint line follows the angle of the stairs and reinforces the interior’s geometric theme.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Pare it down with neutral colors. Even though this space uses dark gray and white, the comparison keeps it striking. This lower level room is partly open into the space over, so Lee used a nice diagonal line to break up the flooring.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Don’t be reluctant to try sudden color combos. This bedroom shows how nicely magenta and red may look together. To get a truly adventuresome space, experimentation with various palettes — but be sure to check your mixes with oversize paint samples before going all in.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Select an inspirational product. Determining your color scheme is frequently the toughest part as it is such a personal preference. If you are at a loss, locate an item you love and foundation your palette about that. This vibrant rug in the master bedroom, together with the bright sectional, inspired the reds, purples and blacks found across the house.
How to paint a great stripe
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Permit your furniture dictate your own lines. In rooms without prominent architectural elements, use your furniture as paint color cues. Here, Lee used the edge of a custom headboard to make a sleek line involving charcoal gray and white.
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Leave a tiny white. With so much color, give yourself a visual break with a few color-free, neutral spaces. Lee always likes blank slate kitchens because they allow your meals to pop up. Alongside such a bright dining room, this room feels fresh and clean.
Paint guides and picks: More assistance choosing and using color at home