Color Combo Help: Purple + Yellow

Reader Immy emailed Lovely Undergrad needing help with decorating her bedroom.  Her space has white walls and the theme is purple, but "the dark tone of the purple makes the room feel blah."  So she's left wondering how to bring yellow into the room without any major redecorating.  There are lots of tricky color combos out there.  Take one of my favorites "red + green" for instance.  If done wrong, it can look like Christmas puked all over the room.  Purple and yellow is one of those challenging combinations as well.  If done wrong, it might just look like you're the world's biggest Minnesota Vikings fan.  If done right, it can look quite lovely.

In the board above, I paired dark purple with golden yellow.  Embrace the royal, luxurious dark tones of the purple.  The gold adds a feeling of opulence.  For me, this purple + gold pairing is just asking to be decorating with an eclectic, old world, Moroccan feel.  A big, gold oriental rug brings color to the floor.  Dress up deep purple bedding with printed pillows that include gold tones and some other colors.  I love adding natural textures through baskets and wicker furniture.  Hang an eclectic assortment of art on the walls.   And throw in another color, too, like turquoise.  The vibe is romantic, vintage, and dramatic.

Check out these spaces for more inspiration: 

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Another option is to throw some lavender and light yellow in with the dark purple...

In this board, I created a more shabby chic feel.  Adding lavender and pale yellow to the dark purple theme brings in sunny cheer.  Painted thrifted furniture creamy white or sunny yellow.  Cover a large piece of cork with pretty purple and yellow floral wallpaper or fabric for a lovely inspiration board above your desk.  The dark purple and a bit of dark wood tones keep things grounded---and keeps the space from looking like a little girl's bedroom.  Mix well-worn vintage pieces (an old chair, antique desk) with new, luxurious pieces (tufted, upholstered headboard and sparkly mirror).  The color combination is so fresh, fun, and flirtatious.  

Check out these spaces for inspiration:

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I hope this helps, Immy!