It’s no secret that the Lisa Gilmore Design team loves injecting bold and bright colors into our clients’ homes.

But, even more important to us is giving our clients spaces that are reflections of their unique personalities and lifestyles. 

And, on some projects, those two things– client desires and bold colors– combine to create something really special.

That’s what happened on this project. The homeowners had spent 12 years living in Singapore where the style was all-white and minimal. When they purchased a 1,522-square-foot condo in downtown St. Petersburg, they were ready for a change. In fact, the homeowner said, “I told Lisa we wanted bright and colorful, and that if [my wife] went behind my back to ask for off-white, to please report back to me.”

Our team kept this in mind when approaching the home office. 

There were two rooms in the house– the office and the primary suite– in which we didn’t use the client’s existing art. At first, it was intimidating to not have a prized art piece for direction; it was true open design! But then we found the Erin McIntosh piece and knew it would be perfect over the sofa. 

And, for the space adjacent over the desk, we selected a beautiful embroidery piece stitched on handwoven silk canvas made by Akiko Kotani in the 70s. It was the perfect delicate, but bold, piece to complement the geometric sofa and drapery.

When it came to paint color, we wanted a color that set a playful tone for bold art and fabrics but didn’t look childish. We looked at many colors, and honestly questioned if we were pushing the limits too much with Benjamin Moore’s Softened Violet, but instinct kept bringing us back to it. It feels fresh, happy, and soothing all at once. When you walk in the room, you instantly feel the happy, artsy energy!

This room intentionally throws color in your face. And, the clients were thrilled with the end result.

If you like purple and violet hues, there are many ways to incorporate them into your home. If painting an entire wall or room purple is too bold for you, consider incorporating purple through upholstery or drapery fabrics. Or, find an older, vintage piece of furniture, and give it new life with fresh paint. Imagine a lovely bookcase in this striking, happy color!

To get more tips, see our projects, and find ideas for adding liveable glamour to your home, follow me on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.

The homeowner works from home and frequently has Zoom calls, so having a pretty background was important.