If you want to change a room -- make it more spacious, add a focal point or just brighten it up -- color is a great way to get quick results. Interior designer Craig Olson shows Joanne Liebeler, host of HGTV's Room for Change, how clear, light wall color and simple, classic furnishings can lighten up an entire room. Muddy wall color, covered windows and a collection of mismatched furniture mask the elegant architecture of this traditional living room. A coat of sunny Williamsburg-yellow paint brings new life to walls formerly covered with room-darkening mocha paint. Lace panels are removed from windows, allowing the light to shine in through intricate leaded glass. A black marbleized faux finish painted on the fireplace surround accents the white of the fireplace. Rich red swagged draperies at the front window offset the yellow walls and white trim and provide a stylish backdrop for a creamy-white chaise longue (figure A ). A cozy sitting area in front of the fireplace is anchored by a handsome red Oriental rug that picks up the colors of the draperies. A classic Charleston sofa in goldenrod yellow and a pair of traditional chairs upholstered in soft white work well with a glass-and-brass coffee table. The combination of soft sunny-yellow walls, accents of red and black, and light, understated furnishings brings out the best features of this traditional living room.
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