This is an excellent example of the effect of complementary colour schemes, and how they work to add energy to a room. (Remember those colour wheels from school? Complementary colours are any two colours which are directly opposite each other, such as red/green, orange/blue and yellow/purple). The reason why they are especially dynamic together is because they play up each other’s intensity: a small splash of orange really pops in a blue room (and vice versa).
However there’s a trick to doing this well in your home, without the risk of it feeling a little bit like a nursery! The key in my view, is playing with the intensity of the colours, and having fun with the different textures to soften it all up.
For example, this image below is stunning, though perhaps a tad garish for a living room wouldn’t you say?
The difference is that the first image uses a gorgeous chalky blue for the walls, and a nice burnt orange for the chair. The colours are both soft and rich at the same time. Why not test out a few paint colours? Farrow & Ball’s deep Drawing Room Blue (253) is gorgeous! (Depending on the amount of light in your room though, this may be a tad too dark. If so, the Pitch Blue (220) could be a softer alternative).
Last of all, playing with textures will go a long way. Notice the chair is a cosy velvet, and the wall has a chalky, matte finish. Both are flat blocks of colour though. Therefore, the introduction of a paler, neutral hue (see the fireplace and the rug), lighten up the room and help lift it all, and subtly add pattern and texture.
To finish up, what I also absolutely love here is the way the modern retro chair has been positioned next to an old, ornate fireplace, giving the room a tremendous amount of depth. Have fun and experiment with styles! (Just because you’ve got a contemporary armchair, doesn’t mean you have to stick with the same style throughout).
Image credits: Top, by Leafy on Flickr (Creative Commons Attribution License) | Bottom, by C/N N/G on Flickr (Creative Commons Attribution License)