How to Decorate With Pantone’s Color of the Year, Ultra Violet
When we think of dorm decor (or simply look up from our screens), we see cold, bland walls that match the snow outside. But color plays a vital role in the way we think, feel and experience the world, so it might be time to use that next snow day as an opportunity to make some therapeutic design changes. This year’s Pantone Color of the Year presents the perfect opportunity for just that. Ultra Violet is a deep purple representing luxury, royalty and wisdom, says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at BEHR, while Nancy Fire, home designer and creative director of HGTV HOME and Design Works International says it emulates hope and sparks the imagination. Not a bad deal for just a color, huh.
You've seen it before since it’s evocative of all our favorite things: Prince’s iconic getups, Instagrammable ube and galaxy-themed foods and Starbucks’ not-so-secret purple drink.
“When styled correctly, [it] can add an air of confidence and infuse energy into a room—perfect vibes for entertaining new friends or cranking out an essay,” Erika says. Even on an intern’s salary, pops of color in all the right places the take your dorm from gray to slay. Here’s what else you need to know about incorporating this regal shade into your space.
Start small
Violet home décor accents are a non-committal way to warm up the entire mood of your dorm. Erika suggests testing it out with smaller, budget-friendly touches like a velvet throw pillow, fresh blooms, a luxurious comforter or a painted picture frame. Nancy recommends mixing and matching textures of decorative pillows, like fake fur and printed material. "Try a fun furry rug as an accent piece and of course some hip and fun desk accessories to add that uplighting vibe to your work load," she says. If you have curtains in your room, use purple tassels as tiebacks (they're everywhere on jewelry, so why not give your room the royal treatment, too?). Lastly, mix and match watercolor prints and patterns in tonalities of purples while incorporating parent hues of red and blue.
Go big
Can't get enough? No need to paint your entire dorm — unless, of course, you're feelin' fancy AF. A single bold wall will do, creating a stunning backdrop for gold accents or neutral accessories, explains Nancy.
Paint a wall:
Hiring a pro is a great option and all, but in the age of DIY, we have total faith in you to get it done with a little help from your friends in a single afternoon. First, check with your RA or landlord first. Once you’ve gotten the green (or purple) light, make sure you have right materials. Erika suggests coming equipped with painter’s tape, a high-quality angled paint brush, a roller, a pan, and, of course, enough cans of the perfect shade (King’s Court by BEHR and by Eggplant by PPG are stunning Ultra Violet copy cats).
"To keep the mess minimal, cover any furniture, rugs and décor with plastic, and remove any hardware and tape off the ceiling and baseboards. Once it’s time to paint, be careful about how often you’re reloading your brush or roller to avoid runs — you’ll know it’s time for more paint once it starts feeling dry and isn’t covering the surface evenly," says Erika.
Another DIY way to incorporate purple in a subtle way is to paint a piece of furniture, like a desk, chair or nightstand, using a glass-like, high-gloss finish — the perfect pop of color against a neutral dorm room wall, Erika adds.
Create contrast
Nothing screams Buckingham Palace vibes quite like gold accent frames against a deep purple wall, or gold pillows on a plush velvet violet sofa. For an air of cohesiveness, pair purple with blush, millennial pink tones like PPG Paints’ Ancestral, says Dee Schlotter, senior color expert at PPG. For a dramatic effect, paint an opposing wall pastel sage green Wandering Willow — a muted version of last year’s Pantone color of the year Greenery.
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