Fall Isn't Just About Moody Tones – These Are 6 of the Chicest Colorful Spaces We Loved in October

Color is one of the most powerful tools in interior design. It can entirely transform not only a room's look, but the way it feels, too. But any interior designer will tell you there's a balancing act between choosing a brave shade and ensuring a colorful room can truly endure.

Yet, these colorful homes from our October issue strike that balance perfectly. Some are 'quietly colorful' and others braver in palette; but the beauty of each of these rooms is their unique, timeless, and comforting use of color in its many saturated, subtle, and sophisticated forms.

While, of course, some of the latest color trends can be seen throughout, and a handful of hues that feel particularly 'in season' make an appearance, these room color ideas couldn't be more classic. From laid-back living rooms layered in warm neutral tones to an elegant dining room bar swathed in deep green grasscloth, these are the six colorful spaces we here at Homes & Gardens absolutely loved in October.

1. A Study Woven with Seagreens and Blues

Believe it or not, vibrant colors can align with traditional architecture. In fact, designer Lindsey Herod made bold color work in a beautifully classic home.

Here, a palette of seagreen and blue sings against one another, bringing freshness to this study-meets-home-office. 'The color palette is essentially a richer, deeper interpretation of the blue-and-green tones used in the living room, creating a sense of continuity while giving the study its own mood,' explains interior designer Lindsey Herod. 'The homeowner loves music, so we wanted the room to feel equally suited to work and to unwinding. We incorporated a record player and designed the space as a more relaxed music lounge, as well as an additional seating area.'

'I love a four-seat arrangement with an ottoman in the center. It’s such an inviting configuration for conversation and entertaining, and it works especially well in a room that needs to serve multiple purposes. The study functions as his workspace, but it’s also a place to sit, listen to music, and spend time, so we wanted the overall feeling to be comfortable, layered, and welcoming.'

2. An Enchanting Sage Green Bedroom

As we toured around an old townhouse rewritten by Zoë Feldman, a charming green bedroom captured our hearts. The enchanting sleep space swathed in sage green paint made us rather envious of the little girl lucky enough to call the room her own, but also proved to us the soothing tranquillity of sage green.

A quiet color designers are using to create calm, the sage green walls bring just the right amount of character and calm to this bedroom. 'In the daughter's bedroom, we color-drenched the room in a soft grey-green that she could grow into and added in deeper greens in the furniture and accessories for a tonal look', explains Zoë Feldman.

Paired with blush pink bedding, a yellow striped bed, and deeper, organic greens, this bedroom is a lesson in how to create an enduringly timeless children's bedroom.

3. An Intimate Home Bar Swathed in Green

This cozy, cocooning home bar couldn't be more comforting. Featured in a Toronto home designed by Sabrina Albanese, it might be one of the smaller rooms in the house, but its hard to deny its elegance and enduring charm.

Deep green wallpaper and a painted green ceiling create the illusion of intimacy and coziness. The rich wood panelling works side by side, gently enriching the conversation corner. 'The color was selected to make the room feel intimate and quietly dramatic,' Sabrina Albanese tells us, 'with the warmth of a well-worn private members club. The oak panelling gives the space structure and weight, while the green wallpaper above it softens the architecture and draws the eye around the room.'

Rich, cozy, and endlessly sophisticated, luxurious materials, moody colors, and ambient lighting are a match made in heaven in this space. 'It is a deep muted green with a blue, mineral undertone. Textural and very atmospheric rather than bright,' Sarah adds.

4. A Rich Red Kitchen That Exudes Luxury

In this colorful townhouse designed by Olivia Emery, vibrant colors were threaded throughout the home, but the rich burgundy kitchen stood out and left us pining for a comforting cooking space that invites and impresses.

While red has been quietly taking over kitchens for some time, this elegant cooking space feels entirely its own. Thanks to Farrow & Ball's Preference Red and Drop Cloth, as well as some rather luxurious green marble, it's the perfect balance of moody yet still open and bright.

'The color palette was inspired by a magazine clipping the client had of a red kitchen which was in our original discussion pile; we started by looking at greens and blues for the cabinets, but the space was asking for something a bit bolder,' explains Olivia Emery. 'The amazing worktop had already been chosen, and it felt a bit too safe to match with it, so we went for something which was such a contrast that they both spoke out in their own right.'

5. A Comforting All-Brown Sleep Space

Chocolate brown may be a popular fall color trend, but it's also a timeless color that can cocoon and enrich for autumn and beyond. This cozy bedroom is nestled within a Dallas home that brings two distinct tastes together, where the remodel centred on finding a harmonious balance between clients with very different design preferences.

'The palette really came from balancing the couple’s very different points of view. She gravitates toward something more feminine, with a bit of Marie Antoinette romance, while he prefers a more avant-garde approach,' Sara See of Sees Design explains.

'We started with a chocolate-brown raffia by CMO Paris to cocoon the room, then layered in softer, more romantic elements. The linen bed canopy feels intentionally relaxed, but we lined it in a Dedar silk moiré with matching trim to give it an unexpected layer of elegance. Custom monogrammed Leontine bed linens, toile-style drapery and a plum wool-flannel loveseat finished with Houlès trim add femininity, while the antique nightstands bring a sense of history. '

'The whole room became a balancing act between his and hers: romantic without being overly sweet,' adds Sara, 'and sophisticated without feeling too serious.'

6. A Sitting Room Layered with Gentle Pattern and Color

In this Sophie Garland-designed London townhouse, a cheerful plaster pink living room beckoned us to stay. While the pink walls are subtle and soothing, they're also just warm enough to gently enrich the room.

Sophie didn't just rely on classic paint ideas to introduce color; instead, she layered nostalgic patterns, vintage furniture, and vibrant soft furnishings for a dose of whimsy and lived-in charm. Cozy without feeling too seasonal, it's a lesson in using color timelessly, and keeping things inspiring and cheerful without straying too far into one feeling.

'I wanted a soft, pale pink that would bring warmth to the room while still feeling light and neutral,' Sophie Garland says. 'This provided a calm backdrop for the color and pattern introduced through the fabrics and artwork, allowing these elements to bring character and personality to the space without it feeling too busy.'

Each of these rooms uses colorful in its own unique way. From gentle, sage green schemes to spaces layered with a spectrum of rich browns, they prove the power of color in its many comforting forms.

Love beautiful design ideas, expert advice, and inspiring decor trends? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.