COLOUR DESIGN - for the colour challenged

It is often daunting to know where to start with colour, whether it be a new home or refreshing an existing home decor. Colours evoke a variety of emotions and is used constantly in everything we see, touch and buy. So what is your colour design style?

 

Have you considered how you want your space to feel? Calming, regal, exciting or cheerful? Colour is a key factor in achieving the exact perception you want to experience in your home. Psychologically we identify best with colour that surrounds us. So if you are uncertain about which colour plates to use take a trip to your wardrobe, there you will find a dominant colour trend which is fail-safe. For those not so daring in their home décor as in the wardrobe department, try using neutral palette with more extreme colour for highlights and accessories. Or play with tone on tone and textures which will adjust natural light and create depth.

If you are ready to add colour to your life select colours from nature to the rooms adjacent to the garden, this will create a natural flow from the home to the garden. While soft greens and blues tend to work well in promoting rest and are good for bedrooms.

More active social spaces like dining or living rooms benefit from colour on the warmer side of the colour wheel. Red tones are very common in dining rooms and kitchens as they stimulate the appetite. As some shades and tones can be domineering I recommend you only use them as accents.

Greys and browns, depending on the shade are appropriate for almost any room. Combined with colours such as pale blue, tangerine or eggplant it can be either exciting or sophisticated.

Another consideration to your interior design colour scheme is the type of lighting and the amount of it in the room. A colour can take on a whole different dimension based on the surrounding light it reflects. This applies to natural and artificial light; a room with abundant sunlight will project a warmer glow on the wall colour, while a florescent globe will cast a bluer (colder) light.

Before painting the room in a colour which you think looks perfect on the sample card, paint a sizable area on one of the walls of the room. Observe how the colour looks at different times of the day, you may decide it's not quite the right hue. If so, you can fine tune it by trying it a shade or two lighter or darker.

As colour is very personal, try not to be swayed by outside influences, and in the event that you still remain uncertain, speak to an expert. You will ultimately eliminate costly mistakes.

Did you know…

People who do IQ tests perform much better in a coloured room than in a plain white room, yet 80% of paint sold is white?

Pure white also makes us edgy, restless and we lose focus. (Janice Lindsay)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOW! Knock your socks off! When you make a statement, make it memorable! (Rebecca Moses)

 

  AGATHA O house of design – interior decoration & design is an award winning interior design Company in Adelaide, South Australia writing about lifestyle and WHAT’S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.