10 Eye-Catching Accent Color Ideas
Make a statement with these creative color pairings.
When designing an interior around one main hue, there's room to incorporate accent colors—the jewelry in your design scheme—for even more visual appeal. "There is a classic decor rule, which states that 60 percent of the room should be a dominant color, 30 percent should be a secondary color or texture, and 10 percent should be an accent," says Mary Maydan, founder and principal of Maydan Architects. For instance, you might paint the walls and doors of a children's room lavender and reserve white for the ceiling.
And when choosing your accent colors, don't go too dark or too bold, Maydan warns. "Accent colors should take into account the furniture in the room and all the other design selections," she explains. "The idea of an accent is to create contrast." Whether you're partial to soothing shades of gray and taupe or rich blues or energetic hues, accent colors can add interest to a space. Click through for 10 accent color ideas that are full of style.
Crisp White
While espresso-colored walls dominate the dining room in fashion designer Neil Barrett's Milan apartment, the bright white moldings and door trim add contrast.
A Pop of Peach
A peach accent wall adds life to this children's room by Maydan Architects.
Blue and White
A mix of white and blue tempers the vibrant green in author Holly Peterson's Hamptons living room.
Tropical Mix
In this design scheme from Christine Markatos Lowe, aqua accent colors play up the room's beach vibe.
Yellow Meets Blue
This Celerie Kemble-designed living room features a creative mix of accent colors, including soft yellow, which work beautifully with the high-gloss blue walls.
White, Black, and Blue
A fashionable combination of white, black, and blue pulls this lime green kitchen nook together.
Blue and Green
For this white dining room, Barbie Palomino relied on blue and green accent colors to make a statement.
Teal and Blue
This personality-packed den, boasting blue as its dominant color, showcases pops of teal accessories for an interesting mix.
Yellow and White Accents
Pops of sunny yellow and white steal the show in this inviting guest bedroom, which is outfitted in a striped wall covering.
Bold Fuchsia
Interior designer Linda Pinto relied on daring fuchsia seating to add balance to her elegant yellow living room.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
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