7 tips to choose the right colours for your home

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When it comes to picking the colours for your home, you will be totally overwhelmed and, probably, keen to try a few different things in every room, just to be sure that all your favourite shades have been used. STOP! 

While we, like interior designers, always seek to applaud brave design concepts, there are some pertinent points to take into consideration before embarking on any decorating project. While you might simple love the idea of choosing a decadent vermillion for your bedroom, have you thought about the shape and size of the room? Or the fact that you need to be able to relax properly in there? Well… we are going to give you a list of all the issues you should consider, before choosing your fabulous wall colours., so that you don't end up making a hard to rectify mistake. And no, we are NOT simply going to suggest white for everywhere, we promise!

1. Balance walls and furniture.

If you have all your furniture already and know that you won't be replacing it, take it into consideration, when deciding on your wall colours. You might think that a few cushions here, and a vase there will help to tie everything together, but that isn't always the case. It's best to use your static items as a starting point, picking out nice details for your wall colours.

2. Should you use light or dark colours?

Well, this is a personal choice, but in general, light colours are thought to work particularly well in small spaces that need to feel significantly more airy and generous. In rooms that have no natural light source at all, zingy pale colours are thought to imitate illumination well.

In larger rooms, dark colours can be used to wonderfully opulent and cosy effect. Deep jewel tones, such as burgundy and emerald, will always look phenomenal on the walls of a generous space, but so will black, which surprises a lot of people!

3. Should functionality play a role?

Of course! This is what we were hinting at with our vermillion bedroom example! You need to think about everything that will be happening in a room, before you choose a colour, as capturing that perfect 'vibe' is crucial to the overall success of  space. For example, in a bathroom, you'll want a hue that feels fresh and clean!

4. Consistency can be key.

This is a tip that we need to follow ourselves! In order to guarantee a harmonious end result, you should write down the proposed colours of each room, so that you can get a feel for how they will blend and flow into each other. You don't want to be going from a lemon yellow room in to a lime green space, or you'll feel like you are in a citrus fruit salad!

5. Which colours and styles go well together?

While there is no prescribed list of every interior design aesthetic and the colour schemes that are accepted as being 'right' for them, we think you can appreciate that there are some assumed crossovers! For example, in a newly built and decorated modern apartment, you might expect to find light, bright hues, such as pale greys and white, whereas rustic homes might favour earth tones, such as rich oranges and reds. Why not try to find a suitable name for your preferred look and then work from there, in terms of colours that work?

6. Think about the accessories you'll use.

If you're taking your furniture into consideration, don't overlook all your trinkets and accessories! Things like lamps and artwork will need to blend well with your chosen colours, or you could end up with a real mish-mash of an interior design scheme.

7. Don't forget your outdoor space!

Finally, don't be stingy with the colour outside! You might not think of your terrace as a 'room' in your home, but it will soak up and put colour to GREAT use, creating a gorgeous and enjoyable extra space for socialising. If you've played it a little safer elsewhere, we think this is one spot that you can definitely be a little bolder with your colour choices, as long as you add in some vibrant plants as well!

For more colour tips, take a look at this Ideabook: The House with a Flair for Colour.

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