A Flair For The Dramatic...

Ok, so I know there are exceptions to every rule, and after bursting everyone's color bubble yesterday I feel like the wild and crazy, taboo colors in the fan deck need some representation too. So here we go! If you just absolutely can't resist the temptation to use a bold color or maybe you are even a fan of <gasp!> wallllllllllpaper, try to incorporate them in smaller rooms that you spend limited amounts of time in. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, hobby rooms, etc. Let them be your little gem boxes. These are rooms that aren't openly visible from your main living areas. When these bolder walls are tucked away in rooms that you visit for short amounts of time, you are less likely to lose your enthusiasm for them. And it can be a fun, refreshing surprise that makes you smile every time you use the space. A nice bonus is if/when you do grow weary of the color, a smaller room is much easier to make over. Bold colors are like the jazz hands of the decorating world. When used in small doses, they deserve a standing ovation. If they are overdone, the whole space can feel...well...obnoxious. Here are some fun little gem boxes I like:

Isn't this adorable? This laundry room was featured in Country Home magazine

I would love to do my chores in this funky laundry room!

hgtv.com has lots of ideas for using graphic print wallpapers. They work great in this powder room.

Designed for a Hampton's cottage by Leslie Klotz, this beauty was featured in House Beautiful magazine
You can add graphic interest just by using paint!

In a nut shell: Bold color, wallpapers, and vinyl wall appliques all have a place to shine in your home. Use moderately for highest impact in small, tucked away spaces. Try to pick colors that still jive with the rest of your house (maybe just a more intensified version of colors you have used elsewhere) Keep the permanent fixtures in rooms like bathrooms simple and classic in their design and then add impact with color or pattern on the walls. This is a much easier fix if you need to tone things down later on. Remember, use your jazz hands sparingly!

Here are some links to fun flair for your walls:

Circle Line Studio has amazing vinyl wall decals. You can find them and many other fabulous shops on etsy.com

Source4Interiors is a great source for wallpaper brands