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I recently shared how the brand-new book Change Your Home, Change Your Life™ with Color by Moll Anderson unlocked the color that speaks directly to my heart + soul and revealed why my connection to it stems all the way back to childhood memories. Taking cues and inspiration from Moll’s book, I’m now inviting the peacefulness of green into my home room-by-room.
Today I’m delighted to share with you how I revitalized my neutral, family room decor using the tips + tricks I learned from Moll’s book. In four easy steps, I took this space from a neutral slate of creamy whites, warm browns, and cool grays to a soothing, relaxed haven with fresh pops of green. I hope the four, easy steps I’ve put together inspire your creativity and have you dreaming in color!
Bringing My Color Story to Life
Change Your Home, Change Your Life™ with Color by Moll Anderson opened my eyes to the radiant world of color and the incredible awakening it brings into our homes and lives when we find the one that speaks directly to us. The book is a guided journey into your own intimate connection with color. Moll’s personal encouragement and expertise as an interior stylist, designer, and author is brilliantly presented in a way that provokes and energizes a life wrapped in color. Through a series of purposeful questions, she guides us down a path of discovering the color we are naturally drawn to and opens the door to understanding why. Moll teaches how to authentically transition your color story into all aspects of your life.
You can read all about the journey I took to unlock my own personal color story with green HERE. It’s a fascinating process that completely changed my perception of color. I hope it inspires you to unlock your own personal color story and infuse color into your home and life too!
Step 1: Pictures + Shelves
All great masterpieces begin with a blank slate. I started by removing the accessories, pillows, and blankets from this space to reveal a neutral base to build off of.
With a fresh set of eyes and a cup of black coffee, I sat down facing my blank canvas and began to brainstorm how I wanted this space to look and feel. My overall theme for this space was to mingle shades of greens, pops of whites, and raw wood accents together to create a relaxed, cozy, and inviting space for my family.
The focal point for the wall is this amazing sign. I live in a comfortable, 1981 home in an established neighborhood. The words on this sign speak directly to my love for my home and the people I share it with. Staggered around the sign, I added a mixture of wooden crates + boxes, a driftwood leaf, thrifted picture frames, baskets, and a shutter to create an eclectic gallery wall.
I like my home decor to blend together but I don’t like it to be too match-matchy. One of the things you’ll notice as this space comes together is my love for mixing old and new, as well as choosing pieces that are meaningful and tell a story. Whether it’s a treasure excavated from an old barn or a new find at a local store, I can tell you the story of how it came to live in my home and why I love it.
Step 2: Accessories
Before heading out the door to shop at your favorite stores, first shop your home and take inventory of what you already have. Everything I invite into my home is intentional. I like pieces that I envision having a future with and can easily transition from room to room. With a fresh set of eyes, you may be surprised by how much you already have on hand!
The first thing I did was shop my home for accessories to fill the shelves. I rounded up my collection of old medicine bottles, many of which have a greenish tint. A huge stack of vintage, tattered books that are always on my shopping wish list at thrift stores, yard sales, and estate sales. The wood bullet holders are a favorite Round Top Antiques Week find of mine. They’ve traveled many journeys through my home… from crayon holders to strategically covering electrical cords. I did purchase a few new items: the vases in different hues of green, the white trophy vase, and the hour glass. Don’t be afraid to mix + match and have fun here!
The addition of accessories is the first step I took to introducing pops of green to my family room. I sprinkled touches of it on the shelves as well as throughout the room to make it intentional and to create a flow.
This book basket is my favorite ingredient to this whole space. I found this basket at a local thrift store and instantly knew it would be the perfect nesting spot for my collection of vintage books. I simply filled the bottom with some rolled towels and a smaller basket turned upside down, then tucked different tones and sizes of books into it.
I added the rope to the basket to tie in with the rope handles on the handmade wooden crate.
Looking for more fun ways to decorate with books? Be sure to check out my blog post Simple Ways to Decorate with Vintage Books.
A vintage insulator nestled next to a modern green vase blends old and new seamlessly.
Think balance, height, texture, and color as you’re styling your space. On shelves, bring visual interest and flow by alternating different heights and shades of color for dimension.
TIP: This is meant to be fun! I always turn on some dance-worthy tunes to get the creative juices flowing. Spread all of the decor out on a table or the floor so you may see what you’re working with. Grab a piece and place it. Then grab another and continue to move, tweak, add + remove until you find the perfect combination that’s pleasing to your eye. I like to decorate in groups of odd numbers (1, 3, 5, etc.). There are some people that prefer symmetrical decor. There’s no right or wrong here. It’s all about what makes you happy.
A wood bullet holder set on top of the crate repurposed into a shelf adds an unexpected decor detail. Inside the crate a handful of medicine bottles from my collection are paired with a small, stylish vase and a darling $1 cupcake stand.
Step 3: Blankets + Pillows
I can never have enough blankets and pillows on my couch. I love layering them in all different tones, styles, sizes, and textures. I’ve been known to use bedspreads and even pillow shams on my couch. They are perfect for impromptu naps and afternoon cuddles. Each pillow and blanket must pass the cozy, soft, + snuggle worthy test.
When the pillows aren’t perfectly propped and karate chopped on my couch, they are stacked upon each other on the floor making pillow forts and “home bases” straight from the imagination of my boys.
TIP: Prefer to take baby steps with your new love of color? Adding pops of color with pillows and blankets is the easiest way to get started with your color story and step outside of your comfort zone.
I’m often asked how I keep my pillows and couch so clean. The secret really isn’t a secret… pillow covers and couch slip covers. I don’t own a pillow that doesn’t have a cover on it. They are incredibly inexpensive (usually between $5 and $10) and so easy to throw into the washing machine when little hands paint them with peanut butter.
In my home, the pillows and blankets travel from room to room. I keep mine neutral so wherever they may land they look as though they were meant to be in that very spot all along. This little trick makes cleaning up the remains of pillow forts a snap for my kiddos.
Step 4: Plants
Greenery, flowers, and plants bring everything to life. They welcome the feeling of the outside in and seem to soften the edges on any room.
True confession… I do not have a green thumb. My grandma was a plant whisperer. Every plant she came into contact with instantly bloomed into a luscious green beauty. I, on the other hand, do not have her gift. Every once in awhile I’ll walk on the wild side and try to care for a live plant… but those occasions are few and far between. Instead, I opt for faux versions that are life like, require no maintenance, and are kid + cat friendly.
Seeing Shades of Green
Green whispers directly to my heart and soul. It conjures emotions of balance, stability, and peace within me. It wraps me in a blanket of security and leaves my mind feeling clear and refreshed. Intentionally inviting more of it into my home has been a delightful experience on so many levels. Change Your Home, Change Your Life™ with Color by Moll Anderson opened my eyes to new possibilities of embracing color and instilled confidence within me to wrap my arms around a life of loving green.
… now to sit back and enjoy the cup of coffee + cookies perched on the remains of this old farmhouse chair. And begin daydreaming plans for designing my next space with lovely shades of green.
Are You Ready to Discover Your Color Story?
Moll’s fifth book, Change Your Home, Change Your Life™ with Color by Moll Anderson, is now available in Target stores everywhere as well as MollAnderson.com. I found these conveniently located in the Books section in my local Target. Grab your copy today!
All About Moll
Moll is a talented author of five home + lifestyle books, interior designer, life stylist, television + radio host, and a passionate advocate for women and children everywhere. Moll’s career has been filled with many professional achievements – from winning an Emmy for her work as an entertainment reporter to being a regular contributor on The Doctors television show. Her lifestyle and interior design expertise has been featured in numerous national publications such as InStyle, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan as well as television shows including Access Hollywood Live, The Talk, Good Morning America, and The Today Show.
What’s your color story? What color makes your heart smile? I’d love to hear all about how your color story unfolds as you explore the book.
Blessings to you and your home,
Very nice!!
Thank you so much, Sharyn!
Your home looks like something out of a magazine! I am in love with the colors and touches of green! #client
Amy, thank you so much! I truly had THE best time taking inspiration from Moll’s ideas and inviting them into my home. I can’t wait to continue on room-by-room!