Need help choosing a colour scheme for your home interiors, or even just one room? Let me show you some fab colour scheme options each month to stretch your imagination beyond whites, greys and beige's...
Colour is definitely more on trend now than it ever was, 'more is more' and there is definitely an up-rise in experimentation with residential properties taking the plunge with colour. Gone are the days of beige and let's face it, I think people are starting to tire of greys, don't get me wrong there is still very much a place for both of those colours, but colour has definitely made a 'comeback'.
Scroll through Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz and there are far more bolder homes than perhaps a decade ago. Paint companies are launching brighter and more adventurous shades as people become more confident using them. Now, not everyone is confident in reaching for the paint brush and splashing that vibrant blue on the wall or ceiling for that matter, because how do you know you're choosing the right colours? Will it work in your home? What colours do you put together?
Let's take a look this month at my favourite colour combination, blue and green. Essentially both are naturally calming colours and compliment each other so well I think it's hard not to be seduced by this combination.
This, like any colour combination, can be tackled in so many ways, from pastel shades to the much darker tones, depending on your overall style. They can work with any design style from super modern to farmhouse chic. It's about getting the right tones together that work in your space, the light and of course what goes with the rest of your surroundings.
Pulling in neutral tones can soften the blow of colour so they become gentle accents and can be kept solely to soft furnishings for the less brave, so should you decide you don't like your existing colour scheme you can change it up much more easily and cheaply.
Take the picture above for example, yes the chairs are blue, however the big impact of colour is the large artwork on the wall, the actual wall colour is plain. Once this is removed and the eye catching rug, you're left with a pretty plain room and the chairs could then work with a totally different scheme and colour palette.
Alternatively choose a soft pale wall colour that doesn't extend the whole wall like in the above photo, then experiment with different tones of your colour palette for an eclectic interior and more daring design. Pattern and texture play important roles in making this space work well within the colour scheme. At first glance it may seem like there are sooo many colours going on but they are all a variation of green from a more yellow green to a bolder dark green with a hint of blue thrown in. This is a trickier way to work with colour and if too many tones and hues are used it could look a bit chaotic, stick to approx 4 shades of your chosen colour with 1 or 2 accent colours used in very small proportions, and get a balance between plain and patterns for a cohesive look.
You can choose to go all out bold with solid colours, which can create such a strong impact as there is no shying away from or disguising the colour among patterns. Even the accent colours are strikingly bold and plain with only a couple of prints in the scene (image below). Always have a dominant colour, so in this case blue is dominant and green has been used sparingly but cleverly on the woodwork. This is another great way of adding colour, so many people automatically think skirting boards and door frames should be white or cream but no get these painted in a bright colour!! Even if you don't want bright walls maybe let your inner rebel out and splash colour on just the woodwork instead and keep your walls lighter.
How a room is accessorised along with the accent colours can also make it take a different turn again, the choice of floor finishes, style and colour of furniture, textures in the soft furnishings, window treatments and most of all lighting. Here the blue and green are on the darker end of the spectrum and are featured in rich velvet's and tactile finishes. Then teamed with brass statement lighting means this colour palette feels uber sophisticated and luxurious.
In comparison the shade of green and blue used in the below photo are much lighter and fresher to compliment the vast amount of natural light, darker tones just wouldn't work as well in this space. A key tip is work with the natural light, if your space doesn't get much sunlight and feels darker, don't work against this work with it and use darker tones to accentuate the space and create a cosy and all encompassing room. Similarly below they have worked with the natural light and kept more of the room a bright white so the colour makes a welcome energetic splash but still keeps the room light and airy.
Another great trick to using colour that doesn't feel so overwhelming or as obvious is to keep the bright colours lowdown. Paint walls to a light neutral colour or a plain white and use your bold colour on the floor and in some of the furniture. This works well as at eye level you naturally don't see very much colour just mostly white walls and the patterned curtains, which gives the illusion of it being fairly plain.
Using really soft pastel shades of blue and green can create a very calming, serene and peaceful room, below is a perfect example of how this colour palette transcends styles, as here it works perfectly in a country farmhouse style setting. The pastel shades combined with the linen, cotton and wool textures give a totally different vibe to the colour combination compared to the previous image where velvet's and exposed brick walls are used.
I hope this gives some helpful insight into working with colour, we will explore more options next time when we look at another colour combination for your home.
Have a great day and thanks for reading.