Deciding on colours in which to paint your home is not easy, regardless of whether you are or are not a designer. Colour triggers emotions which makes the selection very personal. Not only we rarely agree amongst ourselves what a particular colour actually is – blue, green or turquoise, we also experience very different reactions to that same colour. It communicates strong messages, setting the feel of space as well as becoming background to everything else. Not to mention, every day - is a new day, and many other unrelated factors impact our experience of that same room.
The solution has to be smart. Our palette has to respond to the ever-changing mood, opinion, season, lifestyle, fashion, likes & dislikes and so and so on.
To start with, WHITE WALLS are not boring, and, white walls cannot fail. There are three reasons why: light, focus and maintenance. White walls reflect the light and make the room feel bigger and lighter. Ceilings feel higher, rooms feel wider, windows feel bigger. It is beautiful when a wall captures one ray of sun and brings the whole space to life. It also highlights the inherent architectural character of the space. Being such a basic colour, white yet brings all details out. Imagine you put a white shirt on, it starts to highlight all other items you are wearing with it. Same applies to all objects in the room: plants stand out, art stands out, furniture is framed with the white background behind. But, finally, it is also very easy to maintain. Even though walls can get dirty in a more obvious way, touching up paint is stress-free.
However, white is not the only clever solution. While white walls is a safe choice, it does not necessarily fulfil the potential that each room might offer. There are many colours that are NEUTRAL enough and yet versatile to adapt well to many different interior features. Take grey for instance. It is a very elegant and sophisticated colour that has many secrets of its own. It can be modern and classy, obvious or not, feature or base. It can also work together with the majority of other colours as a calm but confident backdrop. Interestingly, this colour is amongst very few that are timeless, making it a very attractive choice.
Finally, some more out-there options can be some very natural colours of a DARKER TONE. This is dark blue, forest green, terracotta. These, being natural pigments, are very soothing as our mind subconsciously makes connections to nature which we as humans are intimately linked to. We experience a sense of piece and relaxation, which gives natural tones a lot of confidence in interiors. As far as our reaction to colour goes, studies show that some colours are more calming then others, some inspire creativity and some even make you feel hungry. So, picking the colour can either be theoretical and researched, or based on an instinct. Either way, it will not leave you indifferent.
Once you feel comfortable with colours, you can start experimenting and using more than one colour or even painting asymmetrical shapes, similar to COLOUR BLOCKING. These two later options have to work with the rest of the room more than a single colour application. However, it can bring much interest and uniqueness to the space of any size and proportions.
All in all, whether you choose one, two or three colours, paint is a fun and easy way to creatively re-fresh your home. But, most importantly, it is also an easy one to play with. If something goes wrong and the colour is not working, you can change it in a matter of a brush stroke. It is absolutely worth trying and hopefully you are now inspired to find your hues at your next renovation.
