Kathy Ireland smiling in a room

4 Tips for Playing with Color in Your Home Design

Updated April 5, 2022 . AmFam Team

Using bold colors is a simple way to express your style and update your home’s look. Explore design ideas for adding color around your home.

Decorating your dream home can be an evolving, adventurous project that lets you showcase your personal design taste and style. Whether it’s playing with trendy colors or experimenting with different fabrics, the options are endless! Knowing where to start can present a challenge to even the most accomplished DIY home designer.

Kathy Ireland, American Family Insurance brand ambassador, is the chairperson, CEO and chief designer of kathy ireland® Worldwide (Opens in a new tab) (kiWW®), a multi-billion-dollar brand that includes kathy ireland® HOME. So, Kathy knows more than just a thing or two about how the latest trends and timeless classics can help you create a beautiful home.

But creating a beautiful home is about more than following the latest and greatest design trends — it’s also about creating spaces that reflect your personality and lifestyle. And one of the best ways to achieve that is through color! Might sound easy enough, but if you typically stick with neutrals it can be difficult to break out of that mindset. But don’t worry, Kathy has you covered!

In this video, Kathy shares her top design tips for playing with color when designing your home.


Let the color wheel be your guide

Having a hard time trusting your inner interior designer? Go back to basics. Look at color wheels to find complimentary and contrasting colors to lead the way. Once you decide what color you’d like to add to a room, you can find colors to integrate along with it — and decide which ones to stay away from.

By following these design tips, you can add just the right amount of color to help your personality shine throughout your home. Because your house is more than where you sleep at night — it’s where memories are made and dreams take shape.

Looking for more home design tips? Find more resources to inspire your space and protect your dream home.

Tools & Resources

Explore our tools and smart tips.