Bright and Colorful Rooms - Coastal Living

Photo: David Tsay

Electric Hues

Saturated lime green walls create a vibrant backdrop for bold pillows and rugs in this mod-box beach house.

Photo: David Tsay

Sunny Delight

An attention-grabbing, bold-colored sofa adds a jolt of energy and makes it so the rest of the room requires minimal decoration.

Photo: Lisa Romerein

Play Time

Instead of boring storage bins, use patterned cloth baskets to add a pop of color and whimsy to a playroom.

Photo: Lisa Romerein

Sunnyside Up

For a hip, Southern California vibe, try this color palette: sunny yellow, natural wood, and sea foam green.

Photo: Lisa Romerein

Pacific Quality

Keep graphic wallpaper from feeling overwhelming with curvy prints on pillows, lampshades, and bedding.

Photo: Lisa Romerein

Subtle Energy

Try something unexpected in the kitchen: a lemon-lime backsplash that lines the entire wall and adds a fun layer to an already eclectic space.

Photo: Lisa Romerein

Afternoon Hangout

Go ahead; be more daring with outdoor pillows than you would be with indoor ones. These bright coral, blue, and green ones pack a punch of energy and cheer.

Tip: AstroTurf covers the patio instead of grass, so the bright green will never go dull with dreary weather.

Photo: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

A Ban on Boring

Bold doesn’t always mean bright. Here, soft yellow walls pair with lilac accents and a light blue floor to infuse a soothing, happy feel.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Fun-loving Style

Quirky accents, such as a mounted game fish and a shell chandelier with an antique finish, add personality and casualness to a beach house dining room.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Sun-soaked Vacation

The secret to this room? Vintage furniture, colorful fabrics, and island-inspired decor that recalls a 1970s tropical resort. Metallic accents add just the right amount of glam.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Tropical Whimsy

Add color to a neutral bedroom by reupholstering a headboard in a retro island print.

Photo: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Charming Porch

These circus-striped porch curtains were fashioned using inexpensive umbrella fabric that cost only one dollar per yard!

Photo: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Think Green

Short on wallspace in the kitchen? Let the cabinets do the color duty, and douse them in a luscious, energetic green.

Photo: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Poolside Stripes

Get playful in a playroom with artfully painted multicolored stripes that instantly invigorate the space.

Photo: Dominique Vorillon

Beachy Glow

Gleaming white accents shine even brighter when paired against a textured grasscloth wallcovering. For extra shimmer, add mirrored accents throughout.

Photo: Roger Davies

Graphic Art

When incorporating a sofa with bold pattern, be sure to anchor the space with solid-colored chairs (even if they are bright orange!).

Photo: Tria Giovan

Timeless Pair

Bamboo Chippendale chairs, a coral-shaped chandelier, and Green Bounty (16-22) paint by Pratt & Lambert give this dining room a vibrant, elegant-at-the-beach feel.

Photo: Tria Giovan

Impressive Style

Make a statement with vertical cabana-style stripes in chartreuse and slate gray. Sleek accents such as a curvy footstool and side tables add formality.

Photo: Tria Giovan

Romantic Energy

Experiment with vibrant wallpaper in small spaces, such as this powder room, whose petite dimensions keep a bold pattern from overwhelming.

Photo: Kim Cornelison

Happy Kitchen

Don’t restrict color to the walls. This Royal Blue Rustoleum paint pops against a sunny-hued pendant chandelier.

Photo: Richard Leo Johnson

Vintage Vacation

Though usually reserved for fabrics and surfaces, color can also come to life through appliances and accessories. A vintage-style cooktop and refrigerator, plus punchy turquoise tiles, stock this beach house kitchen with an ultimate easy-living vibe.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Color Key

Choose a brightly hued piece of art to inspire your color palette. Then, build your look around it. Even a mix of fabrics will mesh well if you stick with a consistent color scheme.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Citrus Splash

A vibrant hue such as lemon yellow adds interest and keeps an all-white room from looking washed-out. Keep a high-octane palette in check with streamlined furnishings such as this oversize Lucite coffee table and a pair of deep, squared-off Billy Baldwin sofas.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Hot and Cold

While warm and inviting, citrusy orange can often be overwhelming when paired with too many other colors. Add only one or two accent hues, such as a cool blue, to tone down a space.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Fun and Fabulous

Be bold without going overboard by choosing a vibrant fabric. These chairs provide sharp contrast to the dining room’s glossy white walls and floor.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Tropical Style

Bright aqua defines this guest room, where a love seat and palm-shaped bed posters lend South Florida panache. A white backdrop creates restful pauses among intensely colored fabrics, rugs, and accessories.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

High Light

A whimsical, shell-inspired ceiling fixture and sculptural white furnishings accent the bold aqua furnishings and rug in this sitting area. Such vivid choices add fun to a vacation home.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

Pink Punch

Strawberry pink takes on a more mature appearance when paired with streamlined furniture and minimal accessories. An Asian-inspired wallpaper and a geometric print on throw pillows keep this master bedroom from looking too girly.

Photo: J. Savage Gibson

Stepping Up

Use colors in unexpected places, such as floors, for a fun twist in a more traditional space. These homeowners opted for leafy green in the kitchen when a stain couldn’t be matched to the rest of the house.

Photo: J. Savage Gibson

Caribbean Classic

Help find focus by choosing a favorite piece of furniture or accessory and designing your room around it. An antique bamboo desk with pink trim inspired this room’s feminine twist on traditional island style.

Photo: J. Savage Gibson

Hang Bright

Closed, these curtains lend privacy and offer respite from the sun. Open, they frame the space and soften the scene. When choosing fabrics, avoid natural weaves, which are prone to fading and mildew. Look for bright, synthetic blends that will weather the elements.

Photographer: Lisa Romerein

Seaside Lounging

Nothing says sea-inspired quite like sandy hues paired with ocean blues. A neutral sofa and linen-covered poufs provide a calming influence when matched with a vibrant rug and throw pillows.

Photo: Tria Glovan

Underwater Tints

This room combines light blues with turquoise hues for an under-the-sea feel. Sleek details such as the pottery overhead complement the updated version of French toile on pillows and draperies.

Photo: Jeff McNamara

Orange Slice

Wake up a sleepy bedroom with a coat of bold orange paint. White linens and draperies will balance the bright color, providing a simple, soothing contrast.

Photo: Annie Schlechter, Writer: Rachel Bertone

True Blue

The weathered dining room credenza and wooden dining table add warmth to this beautiful blue space. The graphic print fabric on the chair backs incorporates a touch of modern to this traditional space.

Colleen Duffley

Natural Calm

Tame a vibrant palette with woven furniture and rugs made from natural materials such as sisal, sea grass, or jute.

Photographer: Rick Lew

Beach Inspired

This bedroom uses hues of the sea, with a turquoise wallcovering and intricate shell-covered side table. The bedding plays nicely with the coastal shell picture framed on the wall.

Photographer: Roger Davies

Bright and Beautiful

This sunny kitchen is colorful without feeling overwhelming. “My decorating sense was influenced more by Crayola than anything else,” says homeowner Sue Hoffman.

Photographer: Jean Allsopp

Orange Punch

Exotic and functional, these hanging beds have fun written all over them. Punchy striped fabric on the walls and a Roman shade create a seamless backdrop, while an orange rug and throw pillows pop.

Photo: Peter Murdock

Teal Twist

Increase the charm by veering away from the traditional color wheel. Welcoming corals and golds pair nicely with calming blues and teals. Walls covered with burlap add warmth and texture.

Photographer: Jean Allsopp

Light Bright

For a quieter citrus scheme, try a buttery yellow on upholstery. It radiates warmth without the shock factor of a neon hue.

Photographer: J. Savage Gibson

Island Sophistication

Simple island elegance is the key to this guest room. Bamboo-inspired furniture and bedding pair with sugar white walls to provide the ultimate atmosphere for peaceful snoozing.

Photographer: Lisa Romerein

Emerald Charm

Floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves take accessories to new heights. Nautical fishing floats in emerald hues pop when placed next to antique-finished basins and pottery.

Photographer: J. Savage Gibson

Sleek Blue

Rattan furniture, pretty blues, and a burst of pink give this outdoor living room a modern yet retro feel. The organic outdoor fabric allows the space to withstand island heat, wind, and rainstorms.

Photographer: Steven Brooke

Green Splash

Add a twist of lime to your color scheme. Fabrics in the cheerful hue punch up wood or wicker furnishings.

45 Bright, Bold Rooms

Electric Hues

Sunny Delight

Play Time

Sunnyside Up

Pacific Quality

Subtle Energy

Afternoon Hangout

A Ban on Boring

Fun-loving Style

Sun-soaked Vacation

Tropical Whimsy

Charming Porch

Think Green

Poolside Stripes

Beachy Glow

Graphic Art

Timeless Pair

Impressive Style

Romantic Energy

Happy Kitchen

Vintage Vacation

Color Key

Citrus Splash

Hot and Cold

Fun and Fabulous

Tropical Style

High Light

Pink Punch

Stepping Up

Caribbean Classic

Hang Bright

Seaside Lounging

Underwater Tints

Orange Slice

True Blue

Natural Calm

Beach Inspired

Bright and Beautiful

Orange Punch

Teal Twist

Light Bright

Island Sophistication

Emerald Charm

Sleek Blue

Green Splash