Choosing classic paint shades is an effortless way to create a reliably stylish ambience in a home, but these plucky residences turn the sophistication up a notch with vivid, often unexpected doses of colour.

Consummate San Francisco Style

On the top floor of a stately Edwardian building in San Francisco’s fabled Ashbury Heights neighbourhood, this charming remodelled two-bedroom condominium home displays delightful period details and handsome craftsmanship. Highlights include a sleek modern kitchen, an inviting living and dining room with a fireplace, and two serene bedrooms with hardwood floors and sunny bay windows. Vibrant walls in one bedroom mirror the lush greenery of the backyard garden it overlooks.

Chic Prewar Co-op

Flooded with enviable light, this striking, sophisticated residence has been impeccably renovated by its current designer-owner. Throughout, imaginative use of bold hues combines with hardwood floors, custom millwork, crown mouldings, and eye-catching patterns and textures, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind mood. Highlights include a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, an elegant dining room, a primary suite overlooking Park Avenue, two guest bedrooms with a shared bath, and an exceptionally outfitted eat-in kitchen.

Tanglewood Tudor

A variety of textures, patterns, and colours—from arresting finishes, designer hardware, and dazzling wallpapers—creates visual excitement throughout this stylish five-bedroom manor in the desirable Houston neighbourhood of Tanglewood. In addition to a family room with a beamed ceiling, a well-appointed kitchen, a light-filled playroom, and a summer kitchen, it features a cheerful music room with herringbone hardwood floors, lattice windows, built-in shelves, a fireplace, and invigorating cobalt walls.

Unique Santa Fe Compound

Designed by renowned regional architect Lila DeWindt, this spectacular compound enjoys some of the most breathtaking views in Santa Fe. The 11.7-acre property boasts thriving landscaping, three guesthouses, entertaining patios and portales with expansive vistas, courtyards and decks for enjoying the area’s legendary sunsets, and a relaxed, inviting home filled with a unique Southwestern style, striking details, and lively organic tones that echo the dramatic sky and terrain just outside.

Updated Greenwich Classic

Surrounded by lush grass and mature trees, this charming 5,880-square-foot home enjoys quiet privacy and generous spaces for entertaining and quiet relaxation. Highlights include formal living and dining rooms, an eat-in kitchen, an office, an oversized two-car garage, and a skylit covered patio with a hot tub, ceiling fans, and outdoor television. In spaces such as the family room and the top-floor billiards room, the tasteful use of vivid colour adds a touch of modern whimsy.

Looking for more interior design inspiration? Discover our article on How to Bring Interiors to Life.