Neon colors energize room, but restraint, balance key

The neon brights that peppered the 1980s are back, in fashion and decor. Highlighter hues and glow-in-the-dark tints provide a shot of adrenaline after a few seasons of mellow, mushroom-y color palettes.

Of course, these colors aren’t for everyone. But if you’re ready to play, here are some fun options and expert advice on how to go sassy but stylish.

Taniya Nayak, an interior designer and host on HGTV and the Food Network, loves bright hues. She says the key is to make them look up-tothe-minute and not circa 1983.

“Use neon in small doses,” she advises. “You don’t want to blind anyone. My favorite use of neon is against a crisp white backdrop. In a dining room, start with a glass table, white walls and pop it with bold colorful neon dinnerware, place mats, and vases - affordable and fun! If youdare to go even bolder, use neon print accent chairs.”

Nayak says balance is everything when working with these powerhouse hues.

“If you have a big, colorful personality and really want that bedroom or bathroom to glow, then go ahead and paint the entire room with your bold color. But balance it with white, black, gray or even a pastel. For example, a bedroom painted in bold green neon can work if the bedding, rug and window treatments offset it with a calming white and/or a pale soft blue,” she suggests.

Take the same tack with a bathroom; add light-colored towels and mat to cool things down.

Painting a wall a bright color might not be realistic, but people can still bring in a bright pop through home accessories, such as brightly-colored ottomans, lamps, frames, pillows, kitchen tools, artwork and mirrored decorative boxes.

HomeStyle, Pages 38 on 05/25/2013

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