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prairiegirlz5

Using Teal as an Accent Color

14 years ago

I found a gorgeous teal lamp at a garage sale. I would like to use it in my bedroom, but I have no idea how to make it stand out, in a good way. I'm not sure what colors to use for the bedding, wall color, curtains, etc. that would make this color not look like a mistake.

I have a vintage bedroom set (the lamp is shown on one of the dressers) that was my grandparent's. I have white trim, but no headboard, and cream colored carpet that I'm not crazy about, but no budget to replace it. Maybe a rug over the carpet until I can do wood floors?

I have a chair and window seat cushion that will need to be updated as well; the chair is dark pink velvet and the window seat cushion is striped cotton in pink/green/white. These worked great with my vintage-y cabbage rose duvet cover, but I'm sick of that look, want something more modern.

I like neutrals and wood tones, and was thinking of using golds and olive greens, but don't know how to get the look I'm after. Please help!

Here is a link that might be useful: Teal Lamp

Comments (12)

  • 14 years ago

    Allow me to extol the virtues of teal! My favorite color, along with pale aqua and shades of turquoise. You can do anything you like with it; it likes modern and vintage, pale shades and bright ones. It first stole into my living room as accessories to offset the awful baby-poo sofa color, then sneaked into my kitchen, which is pastel, then on to DH's study, which is mainly beige and gold, and has now flung itself full-force into our master bedroom as a lush w-t-w carpet, the first non-neutral floor I have ever had in any home, ever! Is that a good recommendation or what? : > )

    We just completed our MBR renovation. Along with the carpet, we have walls in BM Blond Wood (a nice rich, gentle tan), and we added a lot of trim and new "green" windows, painted in BM Alpine White. All of the bed linen is in shades of off-white and cream. Above the bed is a large print (a giclee) of a bay with a hillside town, so lots of teal there. This was the first art I ever purchased online, from GrandinRoad.com. Have also been looking at aqua/teal ceramic lamps - yours is so pretty!

    IMO you can go in any direction you like. Teal loves warm neutrals, from off-white to brown, pastels such as lavender, lime-green and yellow, and since it's a jewel tone, looks good with other jewel tones. I have paired it with a bricky/rusty/barn-y red in our living room, which is a really good combination (and I don't like red). You might try searching various fabric sites; it's used in ultra-contemporary designs as well as vintage or traditional ones.

    You can use these fabrics for your pillows and cushions, e.g. You could also look for a couple of teal-colored glass or ceramic objects, just to repeat the color. Also, wall art that has the color. The only thing that would look odd, IMO, is if the lamp were the only teal-colored object in the room.

  • 14 years ago

    I LOVE the color and wish I could use more of it. This attached blog is a treasure trove of how to use the color. I love the blog. Good Luck I think you will have a stunning room. c

    Here is a link that might be useful: House of Turquoise

  • 14 years ago

    Thanks sable, glad to hear there's at least one fan out there! My duvet cover had an aqua background with pink cabbage roses, so I know that look. I also had WTW teal carpet in my LR, and I painted the walls a warm orange-y brown. It's not that these are bad ideas, I just want something different; I'm glad you brought up how versatile teal is, for the record. Your MBR sounds very nice, I would love to see it. Thanks for the website too, I appreciate it very much.

    IN BHG's November 2010 issue, on page 48, there is a collection of various green colored ceramics and glasses *in a kitchen* shown with a pale yellow wall, medium yellow cabinets and gray counter-tops. There IS only one teal green ceramic piece, and a red throw rug. I love red! Accessories include a yellow bowlful of green apples and a white vase stuffed with daffodils.

    I love olive green (also known as baby poo in some circles, heh) well pretty much any shade of green (My Personal Favorite) and golds, I just don't know how to translate this look into the bedroom. Should I paint my dressers? I'm afraid to ruin them, but they do look dated.

    Maybe the key IS finding a great fabric, what do you think of this duvet? It comes in turquoise/pine green/navy and yellow/gray/brown.

    I've never used gray, except by default, since that was what previous owner used in the tiles in the bathrooms, and we just never got around to changing it. Oh, and in the kitchen, same reason; the tile is beige, cream and gray patterned, which I actually really like but will have to replace because they did such a poor job installing it, and now it's cracking. My point is, gray is not usually my first choice, I'm more of a brown & cream type.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bohemian Medallion Duvet Cover

  • 14 years ago

    Hey trailrunner, sorry I missed your post! So I guess teal is just a greener shade of turquoise, huh? This is so very helpful, I've been so stuck. Thank you, thank you! Off to look some more...

  • 14 years ago

    We have jewel tones in our LR, maroon sofa & chair, green chair, dark wood...and when we went rug shopping for the back of the room we fell in love with a mostly teal persian with rust and other colors in it. Love at first sight and it matches perfectly! Now I've added little teal objects in the room.

  • 14 years ago

    Hey trailrunner, sorry I missed your post! So I guess teal is just a greener shade of turquoise, huh? This is so very helpful, I've been so stuck. Thank you, thank you! Off to look some more...

  • 14 years ago

    Glad it will help. She has the most amazing pics on her blog. I never tire of looking. I think you will find lots of great ideas. Also the childs room that is featured today has the bed and that side chest painted...should give you some ideas there too. c

  • 14 years ago

    Prairiegirl - No, the sofa is baby-poo. Olive green would be fine with me. Our LR furniture was pricey, so I can't be replacing it now, so decided to distract with things in teal and that rusty red.

    I like that duvet in the teal. I am not a fan of gray, so can't comment on that. IMO, though, teal with gray would make a rather cold room. You might put some items of red clothing or book covers next to your lamp to see how you like the color combinations. Another color that looks good with teal is rich mustard; very vibrant but if you're careful, it doesn't have to shout.

    Can't advise you on painting your furniture. I like the natural look of wood. We have a lot of walnut and maple and pine in our home and it goes well with my various color schemes.

  • 14 years ago

    We currently use teal in my LR and FR. Our entry is painted teal and our LR and FR are painted BM Seaspray which is a beautiful beige with gold undertones. We live in a TH so all these rooms need to relate to one another since they are seen together. We also had a wall on the first landing of our stairwell painted teal.

    One of the accent colors I use is brown. We just bought new fabric at Calico Corners to reupholster our current sofa and modernize it. The fabric has a little irridescense (sp?) to it with hints of teal or turgouise. The irridenscense will allow me to add silver or gray pillows. I wish I could take a picture of the fabric (we just received it yesterday) but I don't think it will show the detail of the fabric weaving. Our idea is to bring gray into the the LR. The fabric works perfect with the seat covers to our DR chairs which are brown and teal Robert Allen fabric. Our drapes have 2 shades of teal, beige, and brown. It will all work great when all is said and done.

    I will try to take pictures this weekend. My point is find some fabulous fabric and/or rug and work off those colors. Nothing has to match but is has to relate.

  • 14 years ago

    Lots of inspiration here, thanks so much! I have an upholstered teal bench that has a subtle red diamond pattern (garbage-picked!) at the end of my bed, and a teal green eucalyptus wreath, so I do have it in the room already, but have been thinking they're a bit too strong.

    I have taupe curtains, but I always like patterned ones. Maybe I could layer them over by the window-seat, with a striped cushion and a couple of pillows, creating a cozy nook. Did you know Pottery Barn has a feature called "Design Your Own Bed"? I have been using it to experiment with wall colors, duvet covers and quilts. This is what I came up with. I love this floral pattern, it's called Vanessa.

    sprout, there should be a Lamps Anonymous, I have three pairs of lamps, a candlestick with a wicker shade and this teal lamp I could use. I understand completely!

    Here is a link that might be useful: PB Design a Bed with Vanessa &Rattan Walls

  • 14 years ago

    The quilt and quilt sham I chose were the pick-stitch in daffodil. Know where I can find a similar look for less?