Hello my wonderful friends. Today I’d like to encourage you. I recently saw an old friend and it brought up feelings that I hadn’t felt in years. Like 10 years. Bearing that in mind, I want to share 5 places to add a pop of color when you love neutrals but I can’t do that without sharing a little backstory first. So stick with me. I’ll get there!
5 Places to Add a Pop of Color When You Love Neutrals
Place number one – Add pops of color to shelves
About 20 years ago we built a house. It wasn’t a fully custom home. I chose what I liked from the builders options available. It was a lot of fun and the house turned out quite lovely. I even got compliments from the builder rep asking me what brick and mortar color I chose just so she could duplicate it for a spec home. 🙂
This isn’t a post on building a house or choosing the right color cabinetry. Instead, it’s about doing what YOU love and not listening to other people.
Place number two – Add pops of color in chairs
We built that house in 2003 then moved down the street 5 years later. Lesson learned – don’t move down the street unless you can detach yourself from what the new neighbors are going to do to your house. Yes, it’s still our house even though it’s now ruined (insert rolling eyes).
Add pops of color in chairs
For a long time I had to drive the opposite way when leaving the neighborhood. Just driving by our previous house made me sad because they had painted the outside trim and added ugly planters and pulled out the boxwoods we worked so hard on. That’s just to name a few. At least now after 15 years I can drive by and say (in my head) god love it, you have no taste and should call me for some help. 😉
Shelves are a great place to add spots of color
Anyway, when we still lived in that freshly built home, a friend (I say that reluctantly) came over and said everything is brown – you need color. The first thing I thought was – hmmm, a real friend would have said that in a nicer way. Then a rush of hurt and anger came over me. Where was her momma? I needed to mention she forgot to teach her some manners. Didn’t she know if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all?!
Don’t forget the holiday decor
That very next day I started adding color and started decorating for others. I bought paint and completed an accent wall in the dining room and painted the entire powder bath. And during the next 2 months I purchased mass produced accessories, wall art and even changed the curtains and light fixtures to something more trendy. It was well put together and looked nice but I wasn’t in love with my house anymore.
Place number three – windows. Curtains can be swapped out inexpensively
Why did I let just one person influence the way I decorated? It was because I didn’t know what style I liked. Fast forward a few years, Pinterest came online, I grew up and I paid attention to what I liked or didn’t like about certain rooms. I tore out magazine photos and made notes on the photo. No more letting others dictate what I did anymore.
Now I walk around and if someone tells me I shouldn’t do that, I sweetly say – I do what I want and walk away.
Of course, the Holy Spirit guides the morals and values but I guide my style. No more doing what a friend or trends say. It’s very liberating!
Place number four – Mantels are excellent places to add pops of color
That friend influenced me a small amount. She helped me realize that sometimes a dash of color is okay. If I lived alone, my home would be all white with warm woods. My bedroom, and maybe the kitchen, would be heavily accented in pinks. But I don’t live alone. I have a dog who is spoiled rotten, a couple of kids that still live here for a bit longer and a sloppy husband that to this day continues to spill food, use anything he can find to wipe his dirty hands on and loads the dishwasher incorrectly.
I think he does the dishwasher thing on purpose thinking I’ll stop asking him to put his dishes away. It’s been 32 years and I caught on 30 years ago but he doesn’t know that and I’m way more stubborn than he is.
If you don’t have a mantel, do you have a shelf?
That’s a lot of backstory but I hope you know now why I choose to decorate they way I do. And I hope it encourages you to do the same. You are free no matter what age or stage in life – you do you. If you like the quirky or unconventional, buy it or make it. Want to add a plaid wallpaper somewhere? That sounds fun! Maybe you want everything to look like it came straight out of your favorite 19th century English film? You can do that too, but girl, don’t do that to the bathrooms. I have to put my foot down there. 😉
Place number five – Tablescapes or centerpieces are easy places to add color
As you can see from the photos above I’ve shared 5 places to add a pop of color when you love neutrals. The color can come from plants, curtains, candles, books, pillows, anything. And the different places can be a chair, bookshelves, windows, mantels and/or tabletops.
Tablecloths and napkins make a big difference at a neutral table
Remember, if someone comes along and says to you what my so-called-friend said to me, just invite yourself over to their home and as soon as you walk in you turn up your nose and say in your best snobby voice – oh, that’s gotta go. JUST KIDDING! Don’t ever do that – ever! Instead, stay gracious, friendly and encouraging. AND BE FEARLESSY AUTHENTIC!!!
I love your blog and what all you do! Thanks
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Aww, thank you Judy. You just made my day. Hope you have an exciting week.
Yes, girl!! You do you!! Fun post and great story, Cindy! I love how you added pops of color to so many pretty chairs. Happy day to you!
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It’s fun to find different ways to add unique areas to my home. The extra chairs that no one sits fit that bill. Thanks Rachel.
Preach it, Sister! I too love neutrals. I fill in with pops of color here and there, and my very favorite color is bright red! A little of that goes a long way, so I keep it to a minimum. Years ago my best friend of 30 years came to my home and said everything in my home was just too white and brown for her, but she did like the greenery from my plants. And this from a girl who’s whole apartment was shabby chic. I just told her it was a good thing she didn’t live there – and like you said, I turned and walked away. About 10 years later she bought my home. The changes she made made me cringe, and it took a few years for me to be able to let it go. We have an old ranch house out in the middle of nowhere now. We’ve remodeled ;and spiffied it up. And we love living here. Lots of neutrals with pops of color here and there. Some things never change, and I don’t want to. I’m so thankful God gave us stewardship over this property, and we try to honor Him with it every day.
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Fantastic Lynne, I love it! I bet those pops of red are fabulous. Thank you for sharing this. It’s hard to tell on this side of the screen what people like and I rarely get to hear their stories. Like where they live, what kind of style they like and what makes them tick. Your comment will keep a smile on my face all day! Best part to me is that you know what I’m talking about when I chat about the Lord. And we also feel the same about the farmhouse that’s been in the family almost 100 years. Big hugs!
I love what you said. I used to go by the house I grew up in, but they changed it so much I don’t like to. My home is now a place I love cause I found out what my real style is. It’s not French country. I live in a country cottage, it has cedar shakes, siding, and a white picket fence with hydrangeas and roses and a big oak tree in front. The back room which is my living room has a gas stove and I put brick around it to make it like a fireplace. I do have central heat and air but love the coziness it brings in the winter. Sorry I talked so much, you have a great day.
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You definitely didn’t talk to much Marlene! I can see your darling house in my head and I’d love love love it! Cedar shakes have always been a fave. My husbands parents lived in cottage style with cedar shakes and the new people ruined it. Even the new windows changed the entire look. So sad. Seems like everyone wants to “modernize” the homes when updating but they go to far and it takes all the character out of it. 🙁
Gorgeous. Ty,
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Sweet of you to say, thank you Denise.
Yes!! I love having a fairly neutral backdrop so I can indulge in every season’s beautiful colors and textures. Love switching things up; I get bored easily:) Always love your sense of humor and individuality, Cindy!
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I knew we were decorating soul sista’s. 😉
Yes, Cindy! You do you! I love your style and all of the pretty pops of color, Cindy! Thank you so much for sharing at this week’s Tuesday Turn About Link Party!