Decorating
Give Your Home a Wake-Up Call with Neon
Energise your favourite rooms with neon green, yellow, pink and blue – the brighter, the better
Neon colours don’t usually come to mind when you think of decor. Most commonly connected to high-visibility workwear and fashion from the eighties, neon has started to make a comeback beyond the wardrobe. Due to its vibrancy, just the smallest inclusion of neon is enough to lift the design of your space, whether it is vintage or contemporary. Here’s how to get it right.
Stairway standout. If this doesn’t inject a surprise element into your home, I don’t know what will. These Parisian stairs are a knockout.
See more staircases on Houzz
See more staircases on Houzz
Colour art. Don’t want to commit to one colour? Work several neon colours into the room through an oversized artwork. When an artwork is this bold, however, the rest of the room should be decorated around it. Adding any more colour to this room, for example, could have disastrous results – the homeowners have allowed the artwork to steal the show.
See more of this home
See more of this home
The same principles apply in this funky dining room.
Inspiring illumination. Send a message with neon lighting – you won’t help but notice this not-so-subtle writing on the wall whenever you’re home, and it will set the mood for gatherings, too.
Monochrome magic. A combination of white and grey makes for a crisp and clean interior, but is also the perfect backdrop for a neon blitz – in curtains or bed linen, for example. These stunning three-tone curtains keep the three colours in balance with just enough of neon chartreuse to make the room come to life. This treatment works brilliantly in bedrooms with a subdued base of colours.
Pickets with pigments. Are you after something unusual to dress the walls in your child’s bedroom? If you’re not sure about painting an entire wall, select some neon colours, grab the paintbrush and coat some old picket fencing to hang on the wall. A sample can from your local hardware store should suffice. Keen to go a little wilder? Try several colours or patterns across the pickets, as in this room.
Captivating cushions. The simplest additions can often have the biggest impact. The neon cushions brighten this otherwise neutral living/dining room. Perfect for second-hand or hand-me-down furniture that can do with a refresh, the integration of plain or patterned neon cushions add a dimension of contemporary style.
Sofa: Mark Tuckey
Sofa: Mark Tuckey
Fluoro flooring. White walls and timber flooring need not look bland with a colourful skirting board running across the room. A frame for the room and a charming focal point, neon lime green creates strong contrast and definition against timber floorboards and adds a delightful feel to the room.
More: Citrus Squeeze: Juice Up Your Insides With Lime Green
More: Citrus Squeeze: Juice Up Your Insides With Lime Green
Wild walls. When it comes to neon colours, ‘less is more’ is the best rule of thumb. A feature wall is the perfect way to add a refreshing neon boost without overdoing it. The bright tones create an invitation for other interesting colours and pieces to sit comfortably in the same room. And don’t forget to consider neon blue. While yellow, green and pink get the bulk of neon notoriety, a well-chosen blue can set the scene in any room.
Daring manoeuvre. Neon makes a strong statement so a neutral backdrop is the safest way to go. These neon upholstered chairs add vibrant colour to this dining room, but set against black and white, it’s designer pretty.
Fabulous frames
Your Doona doesn’t have to be the only item in your bedroom to tell a story. A bright bed frame such as this one will life the mood. Paint the frame yourself if you already have a bed you love.
More: Put a Little Colour Into Your Dreams: Paint Your Bed
Your Doona doesn’t have to be the only item in your bedroom to tell a story. A bright bed frame such as this one will life the mood. Paint the frame yourself if you already have a bed you love.
More: Put a Little Colour Into Your Dreams: Paint Your Bed
Exuberant exteriors
It’s not only the inside of your home that can benefit from the magic of neon. Build an attention seeker like this and your neighbours’ homes would pale into insignificance. If it’s fronting the street, your council might have something to say about it, however!
Take a look around this 1940s home and addition
It’s not only the inside of your home that can benefit from the magic of neon. Build an attention seeker like this and your neighbours’ homes would pale into insignificance. If it’s fronting the street, your council might have something to say about it, however!
Take a look around this 1940s home and addition
Welcome home. Neon pink and green at your front door hint at the fun to be had inside. Paint the front door itself or to do the unexpected and just paint the frame. Set off the paintwork with an equally bright pot plant, bench seat or dining setting by the door.
YOUR SAY
Do you love or loathe neon colours? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
MORE
20 Ways to Inject Personality With Paint … Inside and Out
Red in the Bathroom: We Show You How
Colour Splash: How to Feature Your Favourite Hues
YOUR SAY
Do you love or loathe neon colours? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
MORE
20 Ways to Inject Personality With Paint … Inside and Out
Red in the Bathroom: We Show You How
Colour Splash: How to Feature Your Favourite Hues
View more stylish living room designs