Ellen Pompeo's Malibu home shows how to add character to a space with darker tones and vintage furniture

Darker and more neutral tones can sometimes be difficult to make welcoming or homely; however, when used in the right way, they can be just as characterful in your home.

If you're into a quiet luxury decor look or don't love adding lots of colour to your home, you might find it a struggle to keep your house homely without needing to add lots of warm hues. Adding personality to your home can be done in many other ways, and Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo has proven that with her Malibu home.

The actress's space is filled with darker tones and a more sophisticated aesthetic, but with the curated accessories that add a pop of colour and a peek into the family's personality, it's a space still filled with life.

Decorating with grey is a brilliant way of making your home look more expensive; however, if you still want it to feel warm and welcoming, adding character with unique pieces, pops of colour and different textures is important.

Which is exactly what Ellen did when tackling her Malibu home renovation.

"Welcome to my house at the beach, so I worked on this house together with my long-time friend and interior partner in crime, Martin Lawrence Bullard. We get into lots of trouble together and have a load of fun," says Ellen.

"When I first bought this house, he found this original Dissaid sofa from the 60s, which is very unusual patchwork leather," she shows.

Mixing these heirloom items with contemporary style is not always the easiest feat, but if you use that piece as the centre of the room and work everything around it, it'll always look right at home.

"And we sort of built all our inspiration around this sofa, and then the walls. I think the book-matched marble is really striking; it sets the perfect tone for everything and really is art," gushes Ellen.

It's not just the living room where Ellen has stuck to a pared-back colour palette with a few striking, bolder hues dotted throughout. Her kitchen, which comes with some strict chef rules, has the same neutral yet eye-catching look.

"I cook a lot, so I have a lot of rules regarding this kitchen. This kitchen is very small; I don't like anybody in the kitchen when I'm in here. So everybody has to stand behind this line," says Ellen.

"The apothecary jars, Martin found at the Persian Flea Market, which I absolutely love. And because in Los Angeles the ground moves, those are tacked down with some sticky tape so if the ground shakes, those don't fall off and hit anyone on the head," she explains.

Adding colour in smaller doses, as Ellen has, means your space isn't overwhelmed, plus if you ever want to switch out those colours, you don't need to completely transform your home.

If you want to play around with some interior colour trends, we'd suggest adding them with accessories like vases, cushions and throws before painting. That way, you can test if the hues work with what you've already got and aren't left with a painted room you regret.