Allow yourself, to be adventurous and experiment with the myriad of colour options.
Selecting colours for the home can become quite a daunting experience for owners and clients. However, with the implementation of some basic industry principles, the burden of selecting colours need not become a painful process.
Adding a personalised statement to your home interiors, through the creative use of colour is an interesting, inexpensive and unique way of expressing one’s home and individuality.
A common trend is to now consult an interior designer to do the hard work for you. But often, when colour consulting, a designer’s initial colour proposal is on most occasions contrary to a clients expectations. As clients naturally seem hesitant to move out of a very safe and comfort zone of neutrals.
Today, with the vast range of paint colour options available on the market, it truly is enough to drive one insane. Where does one start? Each colour now comes with a catalogue of colours within that category. Including neutrals, and not to mention the recent trend: ‘concrete grey’ as it was known back in the days, which is today available in over fifty shades!
Colour evidently plays a vital part in the world around us and in our everyday lifestyle. Selecting colours with applied Colour Psychology can truly enhance the overall use and psychological functioning of a room – contributing to a wealth of positive factors to the overall well-being of the human occupants.
With this in mind, it is advisable that you do not restrict yourself and set boundaries. Especially as colours have a tendency to create both an alluring and a disagreeable affair.
Both natural and artificial light sources can factor and contribute immensely to the overall mood, ambience and to the end result of a colour, throughout the different times of the day. Therefore, it is advisable to assess the proposed colour samples throughout the day.
Also, a great tip, is to visit and browse home décor stores. This can become very productive, and a perfect way to get inspired and instantly evoke emotions. Be it in the form of a cushion or fabric that you fall in love with upon first sighting. Extracting selective colours from a cushion can truly start the ball rolling and enable you to build and develop your final scheme.
Sometimes, when starring at newly plastered walls in a bare and empty interior void of furniture, it can be a terrifying experience to select random colours or envisage a specific colour from a magazine inspired article or colour brochure.
How can one overcome this colour dilemma and select the perfect paint colour? Rule Number 1 is to always select your paint colour last. This rule is often overlooked and can really impact the overall end design. Once you have finalised your fabric choices and other design elements, naturally, the colour selection and elimination process will get easier too.
Overcoming the fear of colour and naturally developing a relationship and a deeper understanding of a colour will enhance the overall pleasure of the colour selection process.
Additionally, select areas where you would like to maintain continuity throughout the interior; either this can be achieved through the selection of flooring treatments, or through the selection of internal joinery works such as, doors, architraves and skirting.
As this is a great way of extracting colours to form the fundamental base colour and a crucial starting point to objectively acquire colour direction and unity throughout the interior.
At this stage, allow yourself, to be adventurous and experiment with the myriad of colour options. Of course it is imperative that you consider the lighting factors in every scenario, and then select colours that entice you, harmoniously connect you and the occupants of the space physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Most of all, ensure that the space in mind is thoroughly assessed, and the key notes below are considered:
- Assess the amount of natural daylight entering the interior.
- Monitor the movement or pattern of light from day to night.
- Outline the overall mood and ambience you would like to achieve.
- List the existing design elements/furniture to be incorporated.
- Consider the architectural features to be included.
- Flooring treatments – that are to be incorporated into the overall end design.
With the huge variety of colour and shades available in the market, you are sure to find one that perfectly suits your mood all day, every day. Follow the trend and use our colour psychology tips to help rejuvenate outdated décor and create an up-to-date, modern, yet homely feel.