Before & After: Pops of Color Enliven a Living Room

‘Eclectic Rustic with a Punch of Color.’

Barb Cammall knew she wanted something different for the living room in her College Area home. Sure, the combination of a sand-brown wood floor, tan sectional couch, orange-brown fireplace and chocolate-brown lounging chair went together without clashing, but the merger resulted in a rather dull space. So she asked Julie Benitez, lead designer at Kathy Ann Abell Interiors, for a switch—to more neutral colors.

“Like many people, Barb felt stuck and wasn’t sure how to pull the room together,” Julie says. “Once we talked, I realized her love of color.” It turned out that Barb had a thing for bright turquoise and orange combined with warm gray. And what a difference using vivid hues made!

“We placed oversized colorful vases in front of rustic wood-framed mirrors so they reflected the color,” Julie says. “We went with a custom colorful ottoman rather than a large coffee table because the space was small. Pillows were made with coordinating fabrics. Then we chose end tables that have a more rustic, weathered feel. And we found artwork that contained all the colors Barb was attracted to.”

After space planning for maximum seating, a long comfy sofa and two matching gray chairs with casual slipcovers replaced the sectional couch and recliner.

“The new room is a total transformation,” Julie says. “In fact, we decided to name this project ‘Eclectic Rustic with a Punch of Color.’”