INJECTING COLOUR INTO YOUR HOME

Colour has the power to transform a space, it can reflect personality, change the mood and help liven up living spaces. Sometimes adding colour can get quite tricky or seem somewhat daunting, but don’t be scared! A lot of homeowners tend to shy away from colour due to the fact that they simply don’t know how to style it properly. Here are some ways you can stylishly inject colour into your home without the lifelong commitment or hefty price tags.

COLOURED TILES, FLOORS & CEILINGS

Don’t just reserve colour for the walls. With the right impact, coloured floors or ceilings can be an out-of-the-box way to spice up a room. Take design cues from the streets of Morocco where muted pinks, oranges and terracotta’s line each and every residence. Be careful not to overdo it, even a touch of colour has the ability to have an impact.

Tiles – Muted peaches and moss greens are great for bathrooms. Or if you are feeling a little more adventurous, pair the coloured tiles with contrasting grout for an architectural element.

Coloured timber – colour blocking timber floors are a great option for the keen DIY’er to play with colour.

FURNITURE

Always wanted a pink suede lounge? Well now if your time to get one! Introducing colour through your furniture can really liven up the room, and it requires less commitment than painting or tiling.

If you are going down this route, reserve colour for 1 piece of furniture only, otherwise things can get too complicated and colours can clash.

PLAY IT SAFE WITH COLOURFUL DECOR

If you want to introduce colour seasonally or you have commitment issues, this is perfect for you. GO bold with large artworks and showstopping rugs, or keep it simple by changing up your cushions and décor pieces. Make sure you don’t go overboard, try balancing your colours to ensure the space doesn’t become too messy or disjointed.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN PLAYING WITH COLOUR

• Make sure you are choosing the right colour for the space – If you want the space to remain calm and relaxing, opt for a softer colour palette, rather than bold, bright statement colours.
• Try before you buy – If you are going to take the plunge and paint a wall, start with a patch test to see if it suits the space.
• Create a flow – Bright blue in the bedroom and muted lavender tones in the hallway don’t tend to create a seamless flow. You also don’t want to focus your colour all in one room, try to introduce colour into each room of the house, even if it is as simple as adding a couple of cushions.
• If you are looking to introduce multiple colours into a space, choose colours that complement each other. These are colours that appear opposite one another on the colour wheel, for example, blue & orange or yellow & purple.
• You don’t have to choose the brightest, most outrageous colours, even using muted or pastel tones has the potential to transform your space.
• Try combining 3 colours/tones to add more variety and avoid getting to ‘matchy-matchy’. Also, try and avoid getting too precise and finding the exact same shades of a colour.

CREATING A BALANCED COLOUR SCHEME

To ensure you are creating balance with your colours try implementing the 60:30:10 rule.

60% = The main colour of the room. This helps anchor the space and provides a backdrop.

30% = The secondary colour. It supports the main colour but is different enough to spark interest.

10% = The accent colour. Reserve this 10 per cent for your more decorative pieces.

So there you have it! It is okay not to be afraid of colour, in fact, if there is one thing you need to do this year, it is to GET COLOURFUL!