Ever walked into a space and instantly felt calm or happy or energised? The chances are, colour was impacting your response to the space! Most of us know that we are drawn to certain colours for inexplicable reasons but many people don’t realise that feelings can be elevated with the introduction of colour.
This is probably why many people feel intimidated or afraid to add colour into their homes for the fear of getting it wrong. Hopefully we will convince you to take a brave step and add some colour into your home after you read some tips below.
WHY IS COLOR IMPORTANT IN YOUR HOME?
There are many studies which have looked at the effect of colour on our feelings however, it seems that we all have quite a personal response to colour based on our own history and/or culture. This can be freeing information as we don’t have over-analyse colours but simply take the time to notice how we are responding to them. When it comes to our own homes, the most important opinions are from the people living there.
HOW CAN YOU EXPLORE YOUR COLOUR PREFERENCES?
If you are unsure of which colours you like to surround yourself with, take some time to look through images of homes on Pinterest or in magazines and you will probably find that you are usually drawn to spaces with certain colour palates. This can give you a starting point for stepping into the vast world of colour.
HOW DO WE HELP YOU CONFIDENTLY SELECT COLORS FOR YOUR SPACE?
We love exploring this world with our clients and giving them the confidence to embrace a little more colour than they are at first comfortable with. Once our clients see the difference it makes to the feel of our their home, a whole colour confidence can be awakened in them.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL IN YOUR HOME?
As each space in the home has a different function, colour can be used to enhance the feeling in each area. We listen to how our clients wish to feel in their space and this can vary between clients. For example, in a living room that the kids will be mostly using, we can choose colours that are a bit more fun but if this is a space that you want to relax and feel calm in, we can assist in selecting colours which are softer and more relaxed. Even using darker tones on the walls can be very calming if done well and this often has a huge impact in a space such as a bedroom or dining room.
This is something we’ll discuss in our initial design consultation!
ARE WE WORKING WITH YOUR EXISTING PALETTE?
A colour consultation is a great place to start with increasing your colour confidence. Having a trained eye look over your space and bring some new fresh ideas for fun ways to introduce colour as well as looking at the neutrals in the space. Selecting the perfect white for your walls can be just as intimidating and challenging for many of our clients. Once there is a beautiful base tone, adding other complementary colours is a lot easier.
HOW CAN WE START INCORPORATING COLOR?
We recommend starting small for anyone with anxiety around adding in colour. This can be as simple as adding a few colourful cushions to a neutral sofa or putting a coloured vase on a bookshelf. Then building from here could mean adding a colourful floor rug or a lamp with a beautiful colourful fabric lampshade. Painting a wall or 2 in a colour is also a gentle way to add colour without it being overwhelming in the whole space. [1]
HOW DO YOU GET CONFIDENT WITH COLOR?
Some of the best projects are the ones where clients have allowed us to gently push them out of their colour comfort zones and bring a completely different freshness to their spaces. From adding the perfect grey to a living room wall to installing navy grasscloth wallpaper in a bedroom, it is undeniable how much effect colour can have on a space.
Step into a brave new world of colour and change how your home feels and connects with everyone who enters.
Wondering how we can add colour to your home and life? We’d love to chat with you about it!
Until next time,
TRACEY
