TIPS

"COLOR"

No other single elemet has such an impact on the way your home looks and feels. Color can make a room feel larger or smaller, bright and airy, cosy, cool or seductive. Colour is far more than simply the shade you decide to put on the wall. Like choosing an outfit to wear, it’s the accessories and details that lift a look our of the ordinary.

WHAT IS COLOR? 

Everything has a color, so although we tend to think of blue, red or yeallow as the kind of color we might choose to paint a wall, white is just as important in the color mix. Bear in mind, too, that metal has a color, as does wood, so the color of your stripped floorboards is just as vital as those sage green walls.

HOW TO CHOOSE COLOR? 

A well-dressed room as layers of colour. The walls and floor are the largest expanses of surface, so choose the color for them as the basis for your color scheme. The furniture and window treatments are the next layer of color. These will usually complement the base colors, often in a stronger shade so that they stand out as focal points in the room. Finally, the accessories – the cushions, rugs, vases and other pictures – add the little touches of contrasting colour that bring a room to life.

THE COLOR WHEEL 

It’s easier to see how colors will work together if you check them on the color wheel. This places all the colors of the rainbow in a circular spectrum so that you can see at a glance which colors will work well together (those that are opposite each other), which ones will be a sophisticated blend (the shades either side of a color) and which colors will clash if you don’t use them carefully.

HOW TO PUT COLORS TOGETHER? 

As a general rule, for a room that is to look pretty or relaxing, choose colours that complement each other. This means they blend well and have a similar intensity of color. For a more dramatic, lively result, choose colors that contrast, or even clash. As a rule of thumb, try to have no more than four main colors in a room.

"CLEAN AND CRISP"

USE RED, WHITE AND BLUE TO CREATE A SMART BUT COMFORTABLE FAMILY LIVING ROOM

This is a very simple but effective colour combination. Start with a completely neutral basic room with a natural carpet and off-white walls (pure white is too harsh and clinical, so try a white with the tiniest hint of mushroom) and let the furnishings add colour. Use blue as the main colour and warm up the whole room with a scattering of red such as a lampshade, cusions, candles and footstool.

This is a very simple but effective colour combination. Start with a completely neutral basic room with a natural carpet and off-white walls (pure white is too harsh and clinical, so try a white with the tiniest hint of mushroom) and let the furnishings add colour. Use blue as the main colour and warm up the whole room with a scattering of red such as a lampshade, cusions, candles and footstool.

Primary colours like red and blue can look as though they belong in the nursery so choose a strong but slightly faded denim blue and a rich red for a more sophisticated result.Finally, give your room personality with a hint of an American country theme – bold checked curtains and a matching rug, a Shaker-style peg rail, fork art picture print and gingham heart-shaped cushions.

Stick to red, white and blue or dark wood accessories to keep it feeling unfussy.

Leather is a good choice for family rooms as it ages so well and looks good even with a few scuff marks. Add a soft felt cushion and throw to make it more comfortable.

Add detail to cushions with bold heart shapes stiched to the front and rows of buttons for extra texture.

"ORANGES AND LEMON"

Bring a shot of bright colour to your kitchen with touches of orange and yellow. Cutlery, saucepans, chairs and curtains all offer possibilities for adding color.

Swap mismatched pots for a row of quirky jars containing colourful spices.

Choose cutlery with brightly coloured handles to match your kitchen colour scheme.

Make individualized placemats for all the family. Cut names from a sheet of coloured paper, place over a second sheet and laminate.

A simple motif, like these chillies, running through the room adds an elements of fun.