Color Blocking: 9 Clever Ideas to Incorporate Into Your Interior Design Plans

Color blocking can transform your interior space into a stunning work of art. This painting technique has evolved over time and is now ruling Instagram feeds. Here are 9 clever ways to incorporate color blocking into your room design:

Contrast Color Palettes
The key to contrasting color blocking is balance. In her bedroom, Dani Nagel highlights bright yellow paired with cool white for a bold statement without overwhelming the space. Balanced with a secondary color palette of oranges and earth tones, the room has become an Instagram-favorite.

DAZEY DEN PENTHOUSE BEDROOM. COLOR: DESERTED PATH (DE5367). PHOTO CREDIT: DANI NAGEL

And check out Jessica Whitaker’s remodeled bath contrasting emerald green and black paint and wall covering for a punch of happy color.

JESSICA WHITAKER BATHROOM. COLOR: EMERALD POOL (DE5699). PHOTO CREDIT: JESSICA WHITAKER

Claire Thomas made a bold statement in this bedroom, dividing the room using Greenland (DE6286) on
the lower portion of the walls and Tan Plan (DE6137) on the upper portion, as well as the ceiling. Now there’s a color statement!

MAMRIE PROJECT BEDROOM. COLORS: GREENLAND (DE6286) & TAN PLAN (DE6137). PHOTO CREDIT: CLAIRE THOMAS
Cabinetry in Color
One may not think of painted cabinetry as a color blocking technique, yet adding a contrasting hue, whether
pastel or bold, generates added interest. Here, interior designer Michelle Boudreau, added Opaline (DEC783) to the guest suite kitchenette door fronts as a final touch to this Mid-century Modern home.

MESA MODERN KITCHENETTE CABINET COLOR: OPALINE (DEC783). PHOTO CREDIT: BETHANY NAUERT

Use of Geometric Shapes to Add Movement
Geometric shapes of every kind are popping up everywhere in design to add additional layers of upbeat color and pattern to rooms. Check out this space by Claire Thomas. Using Burnt Almond (DE5258), this room got the little bit of spice it needed to give the good vibes of relaxation after a long day of work.

LIVING ROOM GEOMETRIC SHAPES COLOR: BURNT ALMOND (DE5258). PHOTO CREDIT: CLAIRE THOMAS
 

Dani Nagel is the queen of fearless color statements so when she designed her studio, color blocking was a key element to the specifications, highlighting contrasting hues and adding layers of fun to the space.

DANI NAGEL VIBRANCY LABS PHOTO STUDIO PROJECT COLORS: BEAUTIFUL BLUE (DEA136); CRUSHED BERRIES (DE5026); FUZZY DUCKLING (DE5396); INSPIRATION PEAK (DE5691); BURNING TOMATO (DEA111); SWEETHEART (DE5030). PHOTO CREDIT: DANI NAGEL
Bookshelf Envy
Bookcases and bookshelves yearn to display a spot of color. Check out Dani Nagel’s Dazey Den Penthouse living room bookshelves, highlighted in Pistachio Ice Cream (DE5717) against Lighthouse (DEW385). And to illuminate her bedroom bookshelf, Nagel used Deserted Path (DE5367) as the final touch.

DAZEY DEN PENTHOUSE BOOKSHELF COLOR: PISTACHIO ICE CREAM (DE5717). PHOTO CREDIT: DANI NAGEL

DAZEY DEN PENTHOUSE BEDROOM BOOKSHELF COLOR: DESERTED PATH (DE5367). PHOTO CREDIT: DANI NAGEL

Surround the Fireplace
Fireplaces are usually the design focal point of a room so adding an extra dose of style creates a sense of
purpose and drama to the space around it. Here, Dani Nagel painted the living room fireplace Pistachio Ice Cream (DE5717) to highlight the Art Deco tile surround, adding a playful center point to the room.

DAZEY DEN PENTHOUSE FIREPLACE COLOR: PISTACHIO ICE CREAM (DE5717). PHOTO CREDIT: DANI NAGEL
A chic palette of black and white in this living room designed by Aedriel is enhanced with Blackjack (DE6371) on the fireplace.

LIVING ROOM DESIGNED BY AEDRIEL. FIREPLACE COLOR: BLACKJACK (DE6371).
Bring On the Drama
Embrace whole room color blocking by painting walls, ceilings and trim work in one color. Check out this bathroom at Sweet Laurel Cottage by design maven Claire Thomas. Painted in Mission Jewel (DET539), the room makes us green with envy!

SWEET LAUREL COTTAGE BATHROOM. COLOR: MISSION JEWEL (DET539). PHOTO CREDIT: CLAIRE THOMAS
And at Thomas’ Oeste project, the living room gets a rich, fiery dose of color with Arabian Red (DEA155).

OESTE LIVING ROOM. COLOR: ARABIAN RED (DEA155). PHOTO CREDIT: CLAIRE THOMAS
Eye-Opening Interior Doors
Interior doors are often overlooked but can add the right finishing touch to any interior design plan. In this guest suite for Mesa Modern, interior designer Michelle Boudreau added a subtle touch with Opaline (DEC783) for a serene aesthetic.

MESA MODERN GUEST BEDROOM DOOR COLOR: OPALINE (DEC783). PHOTO CREDIT: BETHANY NAUERT

Rebecca and Jared Raskind, innovative and imaginative home renovators, created an oasis at a recent property project called Cadman Drive, and one of the key design elements was the use of subtle color pops throughout, including the closet doors. In this guest room, the closet doors are painted Flintstone (DE6221) against Coconut Grove (DEHW03) white walls.

CADMAN DRIVE GUEST ROOM CLOSET DOOR COLOR: FLINTSTONE (DE6221). PHOTO CREDIT: BETHANY NAUERT
And check out the gorgeous dining room by Archie Render. Here, the sliding barn doors punch up the room design in a bold yellow to welcome guests.

DINING ROOM BARN DOOR COLOR: SUMMER SUN (DE5405). DESIGN: ARCHIE RENDER
Don’t Forget the Ceiling
Sometimes called the fifth wall, this space is just as important to creating complete, cohesive color design. Check out the bold splash of color on Jessica Whitaker’s bedroom ceiling and how it sets the mood for the refreshingly bold room design.

CEILING COLOR: CHARTREUSE (DEA123). DESIGN: JESSICA WHITAKER
Hidden Gems
Don’t forget all those hidden nooks and corners that are eager to shine. Check out the inside of these kitchen cabinets by @slmparsons in Highlighter (DE5404). A lovely and unexpected treat!

KITCHEN CABINET INTERIOR: HIGHLIGHTER (DE5404). DESIGN: @SLMPARSONS
There are so many creative ways to use color blocking to boost your color design specifications. Try out one of these ideas and share your paint color design ideas with us @dunnedwards.