Brighter Days: Incorporating Color Into Minimalist Spaces

minimal living room colored accent chair

We love the recent return to minimalist, serene spaces. But we’re also true to our roots. In our home town of Charleston, SC designers never shy away from a little color. From Rainbow Row’s pastel hues to colorful window boxes filled with blooms, our city is full of bright design. Many GDC interior designers do, in fact, borrow inspiration from our colorful landscape when designing Lowcountry homes.

Embrace the best of both design trends with our guide to incorporating color into minimalist spaces.

muted red accent pillows in minimal living room design

Color Theory Brings Serenity to Your Color Palette

Avoid overpowering a minimalist space with color by using color theory to help you choose which shades to incorporate into your home design. Color theory is used in art, design, photography, and more. These concepts center on the idea that some colors evoke emotion more strongly than others. Certain colors also pair more harmoniously than others. 

The greatest appeal of a minimalist room is that it creates a calm space in the home. Designing with color theory in mind ensures that your home maintains that same psychological perception of serenity while creating more visual interest than a monochrome space.

blue ceramic decorative vases

Muted Colors and Naturals Perceived as Neutrals.

Subtle hints of colors enliven a space while having the same sophisticated effect as neutrals. Muted shades and naturals can typically be used freely without overpowering a living space.

Bring a minimal room to life with muted earth tones and greenery. Terracotta, sand, indigo, and blush incorporate well with many color palettes.

The terracotta Graffito pillow is a warm touch for a monochromatic room. Our midnight blue Pouty Vase, pictured, is a cool compliment. Hold fresh greenery in any of our minimalist baskets or vases.

hydrangea blue place setting in white dining room

Small Touches that Stand Out

You don’t need to be heavy-handed with color. Hydrangea blue place settings bring a whole new life to a minimalist dining table. Couple the dishware and table linens with a matching accent placed appropriately in the room to instantly elevate the entire space.

We love our Berry & Thread Chambray set, pictured, for that perfect touch of soft blue. Consider other small objects and decorative items to extend this same concept to the rest of your home. A colorful vessel also makes a cheery focal point for a minimal coastal entryway. Likewise, a collection of Pixie Decorative Vases are an elegant blue touch for living spaces throughout a home. 

bold william red living room accent chair

Accents and Patterns

For a bolder return to color, work with patterns and statement pieces to accent your minimalist space. Be selective with the objects you choose. Focus on a unified color palette that compliments the space without overwhelming your design.

When working with bold accent pieces, keep the largest furniture neutral, using natural textures and clean lines to ground the pops of color. You may choose to add a bold colorful set of chairs as your accent, like our William Chair upholstered in your choice of color. Just be sure to balance the space with neutrals on the remaining furniture pieces. The Sanders Sofa is a beautiful choice for any room. 

beaded blue chandlier

Let the Light In

Sometimes it’s not a matter of adding more. You may simply need to let a little extra light into your space to highlight and brighten the color choices you’ve already made.

Our ever-popular beaded wooden chandeliers add brightness and character to your home living spaces. The new Ombre Blue Bead chandelier is a gorgeous way to bring additional color to a room. Use the chandelier as a focal point and let the statement piece shine at full brightness.

Other unique chandeliers bring additional light to your space without compromising your design. We love the Minerva 8 Light Chandelier for its mid-century modern gold body and clean lines.

Even minimal spaces benefit from colorful touches. Our team of GDC interior designers can help guide you in these choices while working with you to design pieces that are perfect for your next project.

Contact us to set up a concierge or virtual appointment at one of our Charleston, South Carolina locations.

Explore more of our latest styles and keep up-to-date with design trends by following GDC Home on our social platforms below. View our gallery and use the hashtag to find your next design inspiration!