This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I get from clients and friends. So what better way to start a Blog.
I think it is fair to say that most of us love colour, but we are also scared of using it in our homes. Feeling that it may feel heavy or date our home, so we all tend to go for white which is meant to make the space look fresh, clean and bright.
Let’s get into that first. White colour in itself has many shades, selecting the wrong one for your space can make it look dull or washed out. White colour is hugely impacted by the light that a room gets throughout the day, if you are living in England you will not be getting the same quality of light as you would be getting in the south of Spain. This is the reason why in England earthy tones have always been really popular and a safe bet if you do want to introduce colour on your walls.
Now that we got that out of the way let’s get back to colour. Colours have meaning and emotions, these will be different to each one of us. We are all familiar with that feeling when we walk into a room and it takes you back to your childhood or to the holiday you had in Tuscany a few years ago.
Raw Raffia by Elitis, the shadows create colour variation
Your light bulbs will affect how you experience colours in your home. This is an easy one to solve as you can purchase lightbulbs that emit different temperatures measured in Kelvin. It is also worthwhile to get a lightbulb with a high CRI rating to ensure that you can see true colours in your home as low CRI will make colours look desaturated and flat.
Farrow & Ball image from Pinterest, white paint is used to bring out the architectural elements.
Image from Pinterest, here the white looks flat.
Texture will have an impact on how we experience colour. So if you want to add depth to your walls it is enough to select a gloss paint finish and it will add depth and a soft vibrancy to any pale hue. Likewise, if you use textured wallcovering it will absorb light and the colour will look different than if it was on a flat surface.
Image from Pinterest, Every colour has many shades and tones, so you will likely be able to find a shade that both you and your partner will love.
Colour can unify a space and create harmony. Yes, that is true even for cases where you have every room painted a different colour with interconnecting doorways. You can also consider making your garden feel as though it were an extension to your interior space. This particularly works well if have full height glazed bi-folding doors that open onto your garden.
You can use colour to emphasise architectural features in your home or manipulate your perception of room proportions.
Introducing colour into your home does not need to be a risk and can turn out to be an exciting adventure of discovery. We would love to help you with selecting the best paint colours for your home so please do not hesitate to book your complimentary discovery call below.