I recently begun to appreciate neon hues for the very first time in my life. While I dodged the nausea-inducing neon fashion in the ’80s, I caught myself admiring the new electric-blue Nikes using the hot-orange shoelaces my athletic friends were wearing. The colors electrified their feet, which appeared to leave a trail of colorful streaks as they trained for their 10Ks or whatever it’s athletic people perform on the weekends while I am still in bed.
Since I acclimated to my new mindset toward neon, I believed, would these colors provide a home’s energy a similar shock? My mind was open. Here are 10 strategies to try them.
JONATHAN CALVERT | Interiors Photographer
1. Use neon. The unexpected bright green chandelier in this elegantly subdued dining room electrifies the space in more ways than one. Note how the painted ceiling enriches its existence.
2. Pop bits of neon against tranquil neutrals. The neon stool and glass electrify this tub without overpowering it.
Watch more neon-neutral combo thoughts
LLC, Soledad Builders
3. Use neon to punctuate an entry. This front door is a standout that welcomes visitors and provides unique curb appeal.
Neon can also operate on a more conventional building. Just make sure you won’t be violating historical preservation codes or homeowner’s association colour guidelines before you hit the paint store.
Color palettes for bright front doors
OKB Architecture
4. Use neon out in the lawn. This bold outbuilding is magnificent. Its easy, modern lines retain the glowing green sunglasses from vibrating.
Corynne Pless
When this family moved into an eclectic farmhouse in Athens, Georgia, they chose to maintain the glowing green trim and accentuated it using a hot-pink café collection. It is very fitting in town that spawned the B-52s.
Watch the rest of this house
Diligence International
5. Use neon on trim. As somebody who will never spend a Saturday running a 10K, I would feel silly in Nike’s electric-blue running shoes with the neon orange laces and matching garb. However, I will pull off grey shoes with fuzzy laces with my white T-shirts. Likewise this minimalist room brings off some luminous green baseboard trim.
chadbourne + doss architects
6. Use just 1 blue accent. In the instance of this distance, the neon stool is all about good picture styling and makeup (as is the cat). The green bit draws the eye to the place between the kitchen and the rest of the open floor plan — look it how it relates to that corner onto the wall, the corner of this island and the center of this photo. Bravo.
Your Favorite Room From Cathy Zaeske
7. Use neon in the exercise room. If neon sneakers can energize your feet, it follows that neon paint can energize your attitude toward your workout.
Dana Nichols
8. Bring in neon via artwork. Neon pieces enliven this glowing white gallery-like space.
Bertram Architects
9. Use neon in the loo. Baths, laundry rooms and other smaller rooms that normally have the door closed are fantastic areas for colour experiments.
Ana Donohue Interiors
10. Try out a neon pink accent wall in a girl’s room. For some little girls, there’s absolutely no such thing as “too pink” Turn up the volume a couple of notches; after all, it is only paint, and you could always update it in case it gives you a headache.
So, what’s the verdict? Can you neon haters feel yourselves coming about, or is it a resounding no? Tell us in the Remarks section.
More: Color Guide: How to Use Neon Brights