One of the first rules you learn in color theory is that shades opposite each other on the color wheel make one another appear brighter. In art, this can be striking, but in interior design, these combinations can be a bit much. Thus, yellow and purple should never be seen together.
Pamela Shamshiri, Anne Hathaway’s talented interior designer, didn’t get the memo, and I’m so happy about it. The actress’s living room seating idea features two purple sofas styled alongside a mustard yellow armchair, with a cobalt blue chair between them.
Far from looking overwhelming, the living room sofa idea is a creative and subtle approach to combining colors with a dynamic effect. As a celebrity style editor, I spend large portions of my day looking at beautiful homes, adding up to thousands over the years. However, I have to say, Shamshiri’s take on pairing yellow and purple is the best version of pairing disparate colors I’ve ever seen.
Shop the Look
Wayfair
Lilac Velvet Sofa
This gorgeous lilac sofa is a similar color and shape to the one in Anne Hathaway’s living room. It would look gorgeous with a yellow throw blanket or pillows.
Fabstyles Chenille Chenille Weave Throw
This stylish chenille throw is the ideal color contrast accent to a purple sofa. The relaxed feel can be easily paired with any style of room.
Velvet Round Throw Pillow
If you’re not ready to commit to a full purple sofa, these sweet purple cushions are an easy way to integrate the color into your home. Match it with a yellow or cream sofa for a softer approach.
So, what makes these living room colors work here, where so many others have failed? First, the particular shades chosen are relatively subtle. Rather than a neon yellow and a royal purple, the more sophisticated combination of lilac and mustard keeps the mix from looking jarring or clownish.
Second, the colors are broken up. Keeping the purple on the sofa, with the yellow on a chair angled a few feet away, keeps the colors from clashing.
Instead, Shamshiri creates cohesion by weaving notes of each shade throughout other parts of the room. For instance, the wall paint has purply undertones, and the coffee table books in the center of the room have yellow spines.
Though we don’t expect purple living room ideas to be the next big trend dominating the interiors space, this room is a reminder that taking a risk and breaking a rule can pay off. Sometimes the best design decisions lie in the unknown.
Anne Hathaway’s living room has made me think about the combination of purple and yellow completely differently, and I don’t think I can ever go back.
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