Decorating With Jewel Tones

Walls

Next to painting a room black, there’s nothing more arresting than covering walls in a jewel tone—it electrifies a space. But remember: The sheen dramatically affects the color. “A matte finish will take the edge out of a jewel tone and make it look dark and dry,” says Washington, D.C., interior decorator Annie Elliott. On the other end of the spectrum, semigloss can look too “nightclub.” To preserve the vibrancy without going overboard, stay in the middle with an eggshell finish.