Contrasting Wall Color Showcases Furniture

There are many different decorating tricks that can be used to create different visual effects when choosing wall and furniture colors. For example, when your furniture pieces are the same color as the wall behind them, the walls tend to visually recede, making the room look larger. Conversely, there may be times when you'd like the color of your furniture pieces and walls to be quite different.

Although contrasting wall and furniture colors do tend to make a room seem a bit smaller, there are times the resulting effect can be quite desirable. For example, if you have a spacious room that just seems a bit too large and cavernous, using contrasting furniture and wall colors can make the room seem smaller, cozier and more welcoming. Contrasting colors are also a great idea if you want to accentuate your furniture pieces, thus calling more attention to them. If you'd like to use wall color to showcase your furniture pieces, here are some decorating ideas you can use as inspiration.

Create Drama with Contrasting Colors

Colors with a high degree of contrast can often be used quite effectively as part of a contemporary decorating scheme. For example, a yellow sofa placed in front of a blue wall can create a strikingly modern visual effect. If you prefer to soften the effect slightly, choose a fabric print or wallpaper pattern that incorporates both shades. For example, a yellow sofa would still contrast nicely against a blue and yellow pinstripe wallpaper pattern. However, the yellow pinstripes would help tie the wall and sofa colors together, thus creating softer effect. The use of contrasting colors can also work quite well in an eclectically decorated room, or when the room is decorated in a cottage style.

Create Contrast with White and Black

If you don't want to introduce yet another color into the room's overall scheme, use black and white to effectively to showcase your furniture. For example, a white piece of furniture will stand out beautifully against a dark colored wall. Black furniture pieces will have the same effect against a light colored wall. This method can work well when you are already using color contrasts to highlight other features within the room. It's also a good way to call attention to multiple pieces of furniture. For example, white will contrast nicely with any dark shade, even if you are using different colors on two of the room's walls.

Light and Dark Shades

If you want to call attention to your furniture pieces in a slightly more subtle fashion, try using light and dark shades of the same color. For example, you could choose light taupe as the wall color behind a coffee brown sofa. This method can work well in smaller rooms, where true contrasting shades could create a bit too much visual chaos. This is also a good method to use if you already using one or more contrasting shades within the room in accessories like metallic wall sculptures or welcome signs metal art decor. This method of creating visual contrast can work equally well in both traditional and contemporary decorated rooms.