Thursday 19 April 2012

Colour


The colour of a room will probably be one of your first considerations in home design. You might have a favourite palette, a fabric swatch or other key items as your colour inspiration. Getting colour right isn't always as easy as it may seem. Colour affects our mood and energy levels, it can calm or energise. I strongly believe that you should surround yourself with colour that YOU love. Don't be drawn into the latest trend or follow the `pink for girls and blue for boys' theme if you really don't like it. There isn't a splash of blue in my son's room, instead I have opted for a neutral palette. Does this mean the room is boring? Far from it. When decorating children's rooms it's hard to get past the retailers constant obsession with pink and blue. Be bold and remember it's your home, you should walk into a room and love it...not cringe. Oh, and don't be bullied into decorating with the latest superhero character wallpaper! This would be my worst design nightmare.

You will need to consider light. Does the room have a window? Is the lighting artificial or natural? Is the room a sunny south facing space? What about shadows and mood lighting? I can't stress the importance of using tester pots before painting the area. You might test the paint in a showroom or in the DIY centre but the likelihood is that it will look totally different on your wall. Make sure that if you are painting a vast area that you buy paint from the same batch. Even the same colour may vary from tin to tin. I adore Farrow and Ball paint. If you haven't used it before it is certainly worth a look. If you are decorating on a budget then you can use tester pots without going to the expense of buying a regular sized tin. I have used two tester pots to decorate one feature wall in my son's bedroom.

Have a think about whether the colour will be a complimentary accent splash, a dominant feature wall or a background neutral palette. You will be able to do this more successfully if you create a mood board before starting. Consider what other colours and materials you will use in the room. Personally, I am colour averse. My favourite palette is a range of taupes, greys, creams, black and white. Can this palette become boring? Not if you use texture within the room. Generally speaking bronzes and golds compliment taupes while silver and glass compliment greys. These are all important design choices if you are to pull a room together. If you are still unsure where to start then search the Internet and browse magazines and print off room settings that you love. You should start to see a common colour theme that you can use as your design inspiration.
  
So, over to you. What are your thoughts on the pink and blue theme? Let's have a look at your designs. I'd love to hear from you and see your photos.

PS. With a baby girl due to be born any day now, only time will tell whether I will succumb to the pink obsession. Place your bets!

 www.farrow-ball.com

4 comments:

  1. Hi Sarah

    Well done, you have made a start with your new venture EXCELLENT!!

    Helen xx

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    1. Thanks Helen. Keep looking for more exciting news. Sarah.

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  2. Get you Mrs!!
    All the best- if its anything like your home this will be a raging success!!
    Good Luck
    Kimx

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    1. Thanks Kim. If you know anyone who might be interested in the blog feel free to pass the info on. Sarah.

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