I get asked a lot about colour, which is fine by me as I am pretty darn obsessed with it. Hey I’m writing a book on colour after all, and it is the most transformative thing you can do to your pad EVER. Nothing cheaper, nothing so game-changing. More often than not the questions are the same, how to pull off a daring look when partners are not on board, you’ve got a small space or a low ceiling, friends and family think you’ve lost the plot, you live in a warm climate, the space is facing the wrong direction, on and on I could go.
For the record: you can paint any room – no matter where you live, no matter how grand or how small the space – in a big bold hue. When I say bold I mean anything from my swampy hues to brighter jewel colours. Today I thought I would drill down further and take the mystery out of bold paint colours. So here is my fail safe, unscary approach.
Balance with neutral tones
As much as I am a lover of strong hues, I want them to always feel supremely sophisticated and glam, and they won’t do unless they have neutrals to play off. So throw a ton of neutral accessories into the pot too, it’s hard to really overdose so go for it. By neutral tones, I’m talking caramels, soft greys, milky whites that way your bold hues won’t feel so full on.
Add lots of brown
There is something about brown tones that softens many dark and bold hues and it’s so easy to add. A little occasional wooden table for example, a leather chair, even a few vessels with brown tones shout instant warmth and can cosy up everything from black to red or green, anything.
Add foliage
Magic happens when you partner the green tones of foliage with bold wall colours, especially dark walls. Consciously or unconsciously you feel instantly connected to a room once you accessorize it with foliage and plants. I love!
Add some shine
I say this a lot but like magpies we are attracted to glossy things. So having the odd bit of glass or metallic turns the room around as the light bounces and dances off of it!
Go for lux fabrics
Velvets partnered with dark inky walls are magic, mohairs and cashmeres, faux furs, sheepskins, anything like that partnered with them are magical. Chuck a few patterned fabrics into the mix as well, and I reckon you have pretty much nailed it.
Easy no?