LIVING SPACES AND COLOUR

Let’s Ban Magnolia and Dive Into the Inspiring Use of Colour In our Interiors

Our reactions to colour are largely unconscious, yet colour has the power to affect our quality of life and our wellbeing. Intense hues draw attention to shapes adding comfort and warmth in a playful way, while more subdued tones will add a touch of sophistication while enhancing forms.

Colour changes our reaction to what we see. Image Credit: Pinterest

Colours also play an effect on psychic: they add visual key and offer a blanket of calm or playfulness whilst communicating health and well-being or energy and activity (depending on the chose colour).

Since colour has such a big effect in the way we perceive space, influencing the colour of the world we live in has become the scope of  designers and architects.

Image Credit: Elle Decor

Colour has been used in interiors throughout history (above is a Victorian Inspired space) but today is increasingly expressed in new materials and illumination (as opposed to just paint or wallpaper) with the scope of creating a new chromatic dialectic between form, space, structure and light.

Being bold with colour is not everyone’s thing and it certainly takes a good dose of courage to start using colour in our interior schemes. However the courageous leap can really pay off.

Use Neutrals in a colour saturated room to offset one colour against another. Image Credit: Oldbrandnew

There are no hard and fast rules about using colour as an accent – but balance and proportion should be the end goal, no matter what colour you use. Any accent colour should have the effect of drawing the eye. A colour wheel can help you mix colours efficiently and effectively. 

Use colour to define areas and create an idea of more space. Image Credit: Oldbrandnew

Colour can be used to define areas on an open plan space, it can help define a clear separation point between different uses within the same room.

Colour helps change perception about scale and size: placing your brightest painting at the far end of a room, for example, will make the eye look all the way through, so the room will appear as large as possible.

Colour can also be used to further enhance the architectural period of the building and ensure that a space comes together as inviting and sophisticated. 

Use colour to enhance period feature and to create a sofiaticated environment. Image Credit: Pinterest

While we tend to think of an accent colour contrasting with a neutral background, it can be just as effective to use neutrals as the accent in a colour-saturated room, or to offset one colour used against another.

Colour can help make spaces look and feel unique and therefore help increase the income they can generate.

Most people fear colour as it is difficult to imagine what a space can look like once dipped in your favourite colours. And I understand why then it is easier to just paint it all magnolia or white. But don’t you wish your space could look unique and stand out from the crowd? 

If you are on the fence about using colour in your own house or in one of your rental properties, I can help you visualise your space in colour!

Drop me a line at valeria.romano@homepoise.com or book a 15min call with me to see how I can help you before you commit to buy the paint.