12 no-fuss ways to add color without painting the walls

You don't have to lift a brush to brighten up your spaces with color. Try the following:

Mix it up

Throw pillows add a splash of color and comfort to any room. Mix and match to create dynamic contrast. Combining colors that are direct opposites on the color wheel intensifies their impact. Finish the look with a throw blanket in a complementary color.

Choose an artsy addition

Whether hung above a fireplace, sofa or elsewhere in the room, a painting can create a focal point with impact and add both color and dimension. Pick up a few of its colors in accessories, like pillows, to highlight the piece.

Personalize with art

Pick up a pre-stretched canvas and some paint at a crafts store and splash on the colors you desire. Or blow up a favorite vacation print on canvas via an online service.

Bring in plants

Top designers and bloggers are putting plants and trees into living spaces not just as an afterthought but as an intentional part of the design — think fiddle leaf figs, succulents, lemon trees, air plants, hibiscus, amaryllis or orchids.

Layer on white

It's one of the coolest looks and it never gets old, partly because it's so versatile, partly because it's a good, clean design. Take a white box of a room and layer in the color via rugs, furniture, curtains, throws, lamps and shades, artwork, and other accessories. It's all easy to switch out when you're ready for a new look.

Start a paper trail

The popular trend of removable wallpaper has landed this fun product in even the big box stores. You can use big graphic colorful prints behind a bed as a headboard, on a hollow-core door to make it dimensional, or over a fireplace without a big commitment.

Accent with furniture

Add a chair or ottoman in a bold print or color to perk up a mellow layout. Take your time and find the color or pattern that you like best, holding up swatches against the walls and existing furniture. Look for pieces that have colors used elsewhere in your room so that the new items look right at home.

Dress up the floor

A large, textured sisal rug really anchors a room. Layer a patterned rug over it for a vibrant feel. Add small colorful rugs to accentuate a chair or coffee table. Add neutral furniture, window treatments and accessories to finish out the look.

Make it lit

Lamps are bright, functional, and the shade offers lots of design possibilities. Choose a patterned ceramic base and keep it cool with a simple drum, or top a mellow black base with a funky design of your own.

Go global

Troll online or visit your fave flea market for international textiles. Colorful embroidered prints from around the world look amazing draped over a chair, bed or sofa and offer a daily reminder that we are but travelers in this big world.

Freshen with flowers

Next time you swing by the grocery store, pick up a temporary pop of color from the floral section. You can go seasonal or straight to the color. Arrange the flowers in a pretty vessel for instant, easy color.

Create colorful windows

Window treatments provide a striking swath of color without the use of paint and create a focal point for your room. Mount curtain panels on the wall, near the ceiling, with the bottoms brushing the floor for a dramatic, colorful look.