So many people want to use colour in their homes but don’t know where to start and are worried that they will make mistakes. To answer the most commonly asked questions received from clients, I have teamed up with colour expert Andrea Curtis in the hope of demystifying the process and giving you the confidence to go ahead and create your own scheme.
What one colour have you used successfully in your own/clients’ schemes?
I always like to take inspiration from nature when it comes to colour schemes and I'm a big fan of lots of shades of white, greens and blues used in a variety of tones. blue green tones (not primary blue which I can find too harsh) are incredibly calming colours and they have an affect of calming the body and nervous system and green is the most restful colour on the eye which all help create spaces that have a tranquil feel to them and who doesn't want a calm and collected feel in their home?
Bedroom Scheme in Inchyra Blue from Farrow & Ball, a soft green/blue
I’d love to use more colour in my home, but don’t know where to start… any top tips?
The most important tip I believe is to choose colours that appeal to you and not whats fashionable. Pick a core set of 5 colours that you can use throughout the home, I think anymore than this can look a bit too much and the house won't feel cohesive. If you are a bit colour phobic then stick to accessories, a colourful cushion or throw in a space can change the feel of a room, rather than going all out and painting all your walls bright pink!
Where do you start when planning a new room scheme? Is it always with a colour, or is that your finishing flourish?
I start with inspirational images to get the feel of the house/room and from there pick out a couple of colours. I tend to use lots of tonal colours rather than pure primary colours in my schemes. Colour is really important and has more of an affect on us than we realise so its an important part of the design process.
Do you think our homes should have a ‘home brand’ colour? Is this a good route to go down if decorating from scratch?
I do believe that you should have a core set of colours that run throughout the home, say 5/6 so the scheme that runs through the house flows and each room doesn't feel like an episode of changing rooms.
What are the benefits of having a common colour that runs throughout a home? Does it make it easier to decorate and accessorise?
It helps you stay focused with what you actually need to purchase for a room and not get side tracked into buying something that is shiny and exciting/in the sale and then doesn't fit anywhere within your scheme so it can help you ultimately save money and time buying things you don't need
Living room design in Farrow & Ball Downpipe
Can you go overboard with one colour?
Any tips on getting the proportions right? Should it be a touch rather than a whole room in that colour? Absolutely. there is a general rule in design of 60-30-10. So 60% of the room should be a dominant colour, 30% should be a secondary colour or a texture and the final 10% should be colour brought in through accessories. However this isn't a heard and fast rule but its a good basis in which to start a scheme. As an example you could use a shade of white as your dominant colour, a colour and texture such as blue velvet for your main pieces of furniture such as a statement sofa and then green as an accent colour in the cushions.
A calm bedroom scheme in tones of grey, wall colour Farrow & Ball Cornforth White
Should you go for the same shade or vary it? How can you make shades of one colour work?
If you go for one colour I definitely think you have to vary the shade, it helps provide depth to a space and scheme and also interest for the eye. If everything was one tone your eye wouldn't be able to distinguish between all the different elements and it would feel flat and uninteresting to look at. A room in one colour but with lots of layered tonal accessories is such an interesting way to create a scheme.
Should you be wary of choosing an on-trend colour, such as Pantone’s blue?
Soft colour scheme for a little girls room, wall colour Farrow & Ball’s Strong White & Calamine
If you have always liked the specific Pantone colour that has been chosen for that year then yes go for it but I would never recommend someone go with an on -trend colour just because its 'fashionable' now. The very nature of trends means that they are designed to go out of style. If you choose colours that appeal to you then you can't go wrong and your home will hopefully never look dated.
Why do some accent colours endure, such as blush pink, ochre yellow?
Pink is a joyful colour and blush pink specifically is really soft and could also be considered a neutral and works well with so many other colours, this could be a reason why it has endured so well. Ochre lies somewhere between yellow and orange on the colour wheel and in colour theory is a warm, inviting and sociable colour whilst yellow is again a uplifting and the colour of optimism so I believe these positive connotations mean it has long lasting appeal
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The first room I decorated was in a colour that I haven’t since used elsewhere and now it feels odd… where did I go wrong?
When decorating a whole house you have to think about the house as a whole and not on a room by room basis. You need to consider how colour flows from room to room and what the 'sight lines' are from one room into the next as each colour can affect how the other reads. Its best to buy samples, paint A4 cards with the chosen colours and see how the colours all work together and if they are harmonious. You will also then need to check each colour in the space its intended as the light can also affect the colour, this is the simplest way of not making a mistake when choosing a scheme for your home.
If you need any help with your own colour scheme then do get in touch wither either myself of Andrea to see how we can help
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