So you thought painting your walls lime green was a good idea. The paint chips looked ok and you've looked at a million photos online and were ready for the bold look. Little did you know you'd end up needing your sunglasses when all was said and done. Want to know the easiest way to make any color tolerable?
White. What? White. That's the secret. I know, it's huge right? Seriously though, white — be it in paint or material — will save any color and make things tolerable and rather enjoyable.
Often times colors can feel too strong or overwhelming, or possibly even too muted or greyed out. One of the easiest ways to make things come together is to add more white. Paint your trim, paint your furniture, add a rug, whatever it takes, but white is promised to save the day.
It can be an easy way to save an ugly apartment rental color or liven up something you just don't want to tackle yet if you're a homeowner. Don't forget any accessory can be made white with a coat of spray paint, so don't think it has to cost a fortune. Hit up thrift stores for random ceramic pieces or even the local park for some sticks to paint up and add to a vase.
Do you have any other tips for helping out color that didn't turn out the way you wanted? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Related: 5 Things to Remember When Painting with Bright Colors
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
Repaint! Paint is pretty cheap at $15 a gallon for Glidden and $20 for Behr. If the color is right, but just too much you could try stencilling an all-over design on top in a slightly different shade, or to tone it down more in white or grey, etc. I've seen some really cool, modern stencils on etsy.com
what if the problem color is dark brown wood cabinets that you can't paint because you're a renter? My entire apartment is painted in this pale mocha with white trim which looks great in most of the rooms, but not the kitchen. Somehow all of it together ends up looking very dowdy. Anyone have any suggestions to minimize the brown? Or compliment it?
chiyo, can you not ask to paint the kitchen? Maybe not the cabinets, but the walls?
Anyone else notice that in the example photo above, there is on the teeniest bit of white? Pony wall and possibly the countertops. Otherwise, the floor, the table, the chairs, the rafters, and the cabinets such as they are, are all unfinished wood.
Our house was Bandaid pink-beige when we moved in. The guest bathroom had the added bonus of a pus-y yellow-beige sponge-painted on top of it. There is nothing that made that color tolerable other than a fresh coat of paint over it.
I was also confused by the photo and the suggestion to use white. I think the bold pink in the photo looks great with all that unfinished wood. Maybe the real saver is lots of wood tones and not white?
Chiyo, I would try orange accessories in the kitchen.
Chiyo, you can try the liquid starch & fabric treatment on the cabinet doors. It peels off and you can wipe it down when you move. Or, double stick tape (whose residue is small and removeable) and decorative paper or wallpaper cut to size. Then, all you're left with is the outline of the dark cabinets, which I think is more tolerable than a 'wall of dark brown'.
I love that pink wall!
Maybe a lot of neutral with the big bold color? The wood is a neutral as is white and black. The picture above if it had a lot of white would be crisp and modern, a lot of black would be bold and intense and with the brown it's laid back and earthy.
I wish I understood this post better.
Another thing that can help a color is it's opposite on the color wheel. If you have bright orange walls, cobalt blue might help. A too-bright yellow? Possibly a very dark plum might help. Unfortunately, if you choose the wrong shade of the opposite color on the color wheel, you can REALLY have a mess!
It can help, if used wisely. Lot's of luck.
I thought the tip was going to be to paint just one wall, because then the color doesn't reflect back on itself and intensify. But I really hate accent walls.
I'm with you regarding accent walls, @tequila red. And as for the "tip," I was waiting for the after shot that showed this room with white touches toning down the pink wall.
I went crazy with lime green and full-on turquoise blue in my spare room - YES, painting things white was the ONLY thing that made it livable. Now I'm finding white works well even in rooms where I have softer greens and blues on the walls. Though, like others, I'm not seeing much connection between the post and the pic.
Somebody was trying to channel Antonio with the pink duck/goose.
I agree! I have two bathrooms with very bright colors on the wall and white/black really did the trick. I just love the colors too much not to use them. One is a bird of paradise pinky-orange-coral and the other is a deep and bright island green/turquoise. I walk in those rooms and almost blend in since those colors are the ones I like to wear all the time in Florida but I think they could be a little surprising for guests. The white/black helps!
i love that wall so much!