Color is Back

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.” Georgia O’Keeffe

Whether scanning interiors online, on pages or in person, this moment seems saturated with neutrals. Busy by day, Elisa believes in making a home as serene as possible—an ethos too often approached by relying solely on a pared-down palette. Instead, Elisa grounds her use of neutrals by layering materials, textures, and more recently, accents of color.

“Neutrals can lack personality,” Elisa says. “They can feel like they’re floating, untethered. You need to add depth and root your palette.”

Toward this end, Elisa adds anecdotes of color amid a narrative of neutrals. Through color, she articulates a sense of place and personality. 

Tabletop Accents

Whimsy and color play well together, as is the case with all objets d’art from John Derian. By reinvigorating the historic craft of decoupage, Derian pairs vintage clippings with contemporary silhouettes, elevating tabletop accessories—think trays, saucers, dishes and bowls—into heirloom expressions of personal style. Color plays a key role in his playful aesthetic, adding personality and panache to historic vignettes. In some designs, Derian even reintroduces color by hand. Elisa loves perching one his pieces on otherwise staid surfaces—like a living room side table—a gesture that adds fun functionality to what would otherwise be an overlooked nook.

Pillows + Throws

A perennial favorite for layering texture, throws and pillows can also introduce pops of color. Better yet, a throw that appeals to both hand and eye, like the reversible alpaca throw stocked at Twenty Two Home, with the taupe side giving neutral vibes while its inverse blue evokes open skies and crystal lakes. Made in Peru from baby alpaca, this throw pairs perfectly with muted palettes, offering a hint of crispness. By nature, blue creates a subtle yet sophisticated sensation when used as an accent color—a dynamic epitomized by the collection of blue velvet pillows made by the illustrious Kevin O’Brien. Whether patterned, ombre or solid, his lush sapphire-hued pillows add spicy elegance to any setting. 

Flowers

Living in wonder as we do in the Tetons, we know full well that despite our best efforts as designers, nature does color best. Thus inspired, we look for every opportunity to bring the outdoors in, whether in the form of a grand gesture like remodeling around panoramic windows, or, in contrast, the beguiling wink of a wildflower bouquet sourced on a dog walk. No matter the season, botanicals—found and sourced—offer carefree color in pure form. To properly feature such blooms, we advocate for worthy vessels, like the milky vases so lovingly created by historic French workshop Astier de Villatte. For statement arrangements, turn to the elegance of Theresa Rand’s Échasse Collection of gorgeous glass orbs.

Echoing the wisdom of Georgia O’Keeffe, considered notes of color can say more than many turns of muted design.