Design Details
An Accent Colour Needs Three Places
One mustard cushion on a grey sofa does not look like an accent. It looks like something that got left in the wrong place. The colour is not the problem, the count is. Two appearances read as coincidence, and three or more read as a design decision.
Pick your accent and put it in the room at least three times, using different kinds of object: a vase on a side table, the spine of a book on a shelf, a lampshade or a piece of art. Place them far enough apart that the eye has to travel to find each one.
Not sure which colour to use? Look around for one that already stands out from your main palette, then add what it needs to feel intentional. There is usually a colour in the room waiting for company.
