If you spend any time on design blogs, you’re familiar with the phrase “pop of color” – it’s the easiest way to explain how a single accessory can make a big impact thanks to an eye-catching color. The red vase on a dining table, the bright blue pillow on a sofa – it tends to feel like a little surprise in an otherwise neutral room.
But here’s the real surprise: a pop of color is not a necessity in every room. While it is a fun device to put into play if you love the particular color you’re “popping”, there’s no design handbook that insists that an otherwise lovely tan-and-white room needs a purple chair dragged in just because.
Take a look at these rooms from Nate’s book, The Things That Matter for proof that color isn’t the only thing that can add pizazz to a room.
A Pop Of Greenery
Ok, green is technically a color, sure, but we’re talking about the greenery of a living, changing plant that brings a refreshing and organic feel to a room. That small touch will enhance the neutral palette and breathe additional life into the space.
A Pop Of Glimmer
Who needs color when you can lean on luscious gleaming materials? Lucite and glass furniture, gold accessories, and metallic-flecked pillows bring plenty of flair without leaning on rainbow hues.
A Pop Of Texture
When you’re dealing with a statement-making rug like this one, there’s no need to bring in the brights. The warm and cushy texture adds enough of a wow factor – one only emphasized by the other textures at play here – a wood wall, leather chair, and iron coffee table. It’s minimal yet warm, and perfectly homey.
All photography by Roger Davies for The Things That Matter