5 Fab Colors for a Dramatic Yet Inviting Guest Room

1. Turquoise

Evoking images of tropical seas and warm temperatures, turquoise is a welcoming color that will amp up the vacation feeling in your guest bedroom.

Grasscloth wallpaper: Phillip Jeffries

How to use it. A warm, sunny blue, turquoise is incredibly versatile. You can feature it with other tropical colors, such as chartreuse or yellow, as in this happy bedroom, or combine it with an array of other bold colors, such as red or fuchsia. It also pairs nicely with a deep neutral, such as navy, or a lighter one, such as white or beige.

Where to put it. This happy shade of blue works in large or small doses. Cover all four walls in your favorite turquoise shade, use just a little as a painted accent or choose turquoise for textiles and accessories scattered throughout the room.

How to use it. Yellow comes in a range of hues from pale pastel to neon. To create a stylish yet relaxing yellow guest room, look for a sunny midtone yellow. Avoid a really pale pastel yellow, as it may lack dramatic flair and can come across as creamy or even blah. Also skip superbright and neon yellows, which can be too vivid and disturbing to the eye, especially for your weary guests looking for a little R&R. Your yellow selection can have a greenish hue, as seen in the previous photo, or a warmer, sunny feeling, as shown in this bedroom.

You can pair your fun, inviting yellow with other brights, such as fuchsia and teal. Or, for a more neutral palette, select yellow as an accent color for your bedding and showcase it against a neutral backdrop of wood and white, as shown in this photo.

Where to put it. A midtone yellow makes a statement and is best used with restraint. In your guest room, try featuring yellow on a bed wall or in textiles and accessories throughout the room. Even the simplest white or beige guest room can get a vibrant makeover with yellow lamps, a yellow throw pillow and artwork that highlights a few splashes of yellow.

Find yellow bedding and accessories

3. Red

Red makes a dramatic statement in any room. For a guest room, it’s best to use this energetic hue strategically, as it can be intense and in large doses may overwhelm your guests.

Wallpaper: Encens, Parfums collection, Élitis

How to use it. Whether on a headboard, in textiles or on a painted wall, combine your emerald green with fresh white linens and warm wood tones. Or combine it with brights, such as yellow or fuchsia, for a playful look. Black and white accents can bring a more contemporary feeling to a bedroom, as shown in this photo.

Where to put it. Lush emerald green retains its sophistication when used thoughtfully and with measured application. Certainly just a painted accent wall will showcase this dramatic green, but also look to both large and small accessories to add a splash of this color. Table lamps, upholstered furniture — such as a chair, bench or headboard — or knickknacks, such as a picture frame, can make a big impact in your guest room.

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