How to Infuse Your Home with Color

Hot-hued patterns

Bonnie Connors, who shares her recently renovated Colonial-style home with her husband, Jim, and their two pre-teens, wanted to give her rooms a mix of bold patterns and bright colors. She enlisted interior designer Denise Macey to help pick motifs and colors that meld.

Denise and Bonnie chose fabrics that strictly adhere to the home's orange, green and yellow palette. Every room contains those colors in varying amounts and shades. To avoid sensory overload, Denise used patterns on either the furnishings or the walls, but never both. Rich neutrals (browns and grays) on the walls complement rather than compete with the eye-catching patterns.

Bonnie layered spicy orange and gold patterns in the sunroom (left). The mix works because it's set against a quiet background of charcoal gray. Exotic ochre chairs and a vintage, reddish-orange Moroccan rug turn the sunroom into a cozy gathering space.

Architect Healy M. Rice, AIA (847/853-0824)