The Colour Series
Colour and style in harmony
By Anne McCarthy of Advantage Property Styling
It is interesting that the very thing that doesn’t have a cost value when designing or renovating your home is the decision that can cause the most consternation – COLOUR!
So where do we start – funnily enough not with paint. The very last thing you should consider is the paint colour, remember there is any number of paint colours but a far more limited selection of colours in fixtures – we make things far more difficult when we decide we are going to have our walls a particular colour and then try and work everything back to this.
Have you ever taken a paint sample into a carpet showroom to find that perfect match?
The grey carpets might have too much blue, the greens too much yellow and so on. You may be lucky but generally there is a compromise and it well may be the overall look of your interior.
If you are lucky enough to be building a new home there is an order for the colour selection process, the rule being that it is essential to choose the more expensive permanent items first – there is the least choice in this range and you will have them for a long time.
The order I find best is:
1) Carpets, main floor tiles/floorboards
2) Kitchen and bathroom cabinets
3) Wet area tiles to walls and floors
4) Curtains and blinds
5) Paint
(Please note that this is the order in which we select but not the installation order)
The challenge is the ability to look ahead in your mind and picture your home complete so that you can take the necessary steps in the right order. If you find it difficult to visualise, don’t worry as you are certainly not alone!
It is worth the outlay for a few hours of an interior designer’s time to talk through the build so they can bring it to life for you. An interior designer can see the complete picture and map out the necessary steps so that you are not overwhelmed by the process.
Choose someone whose work you have seen or somebody who comes recommended by a friend. The designer needs to be a good communicator who understands your personal needs and who will create the interior you want, not what happens to be trendy at the time or their own personal style.
The skilful designer will help you discover what you want even when you don’t know yourself!
Recognising your own personal style is the first step towards colour selection. If you are not sure it is worth looking at the style and colour of clothes that appeal to you. Do these colours make you feel good? Do you want to be surrounded by these colours or are they the accents in your life to be displayed on a neutral palette? Is the styling of your clothes more restrained or flamboyant? The answers you find here will give a strong indication of the sort of interior that will feel comfortable and well-proportioned to you. Ask yourself
· Are you attracted to bright primaries, muted soft or sludgy colours, neutrals, rich earth tones or the understated elegance of white on white?
· Are you attracted to smooth or textured surfaces, shiny or matt finishes,
· Are you attracted to geometric, striped, abstract, checked, floral or plain fabric?
· Are you attracted to modern minimal architecture and interiors, Classical, Art Deco or perhaps Federation?
For example say you are attracted to bright primaries, shiny smooth finishes, abstract designs and Federation houses.
Before we even get to the firm colour choices we have a few problems – bright primaries, shiny smooth surfaces and abstract designs don’t go with Federation homes. Something has to give – if you are intent on building or renovating a Federation house the colours will have to be muted, the surfaces honed and the fabric patterns of a stylised floral nature. This patterning can be reflected in the tiling, wallpaper and stained glass as well.
Federation colours are cream plus any primary or secondary colour that has black added to the mix. Any primary or secondary colour that has black added to it will give the desired deep rich tonal result.
In this example you would need to decide if your bright primaries would still appeal to you if they had tonal changes and were deeper. If the answer is no then it would be beneficial to look at a more modern style for your new home as you well may feel uncomfortable in the chosen setting.
A contemporary modern home lends itself to bright primaries and abstract designs, the good thing being that the strong accent colours don’t need to be in expensive fixtures. You will hear real estate agents stating that when selling a home it is advisable to paint through the house in a neutral off white. This is about comfort levels so that a potential buyer can see themselves with their accessories and colours in place and not be overwhelmed by the existing fittings.
The accents can be in paint colours of course but can also be used to great effect with the clever use of cushions, bedding, lamps and artwork. The obvious benefit is that you have the ability to change your setting along with your moods and the seasons.
See if your style and colour choices are in harmony, if not that could be the reason your interior is just not working.
For more great tips on presenting your home for sale visit Advantage Property Styling.