When It Comes To Colour Follow Your Heart

Written by Carolyn Goldberg - Interiors By Carolyn

Desperate? Need Help? Totally frustrated? Feeling a colour induced nervous breakdown coming on?

It is a well known fact that colour in your home does much more than anyone can appreciate. We as individuals are very visual beings and are more than likely to be swayed by the things we see which can have an immediate impact on our mood.

Changing a color is one of the most exciting and economical ways to transform a space; alternatively, choosing a colour can be a very overwhelming experience, since there are a variety of colors available

on the market as there are grains of sands on earth!!! Understanding color is vital to creating your

perfect space.

Choosing a colour scheme is easier once you understand that colour is classified and organized on what is known as the Colour Wheel. Balance is the key as the colour wheel helps to sort things systematically. Colours Schemes can be termed by how they are grouped together; Monochromatic, Analogous or Complimentary.

Monochromatic meaning one single colour is one of the easiest schemes to create and is considered unified, peaceful and harmonious. You can create interest with different shades and tones of the same colour and incorporate a variety of volumes and textures using fabric, carpet, art and accessories. The Analogous scheme is a combination of two to three related colours that are side-by-side on the colour wheel and considered to be versatile and eye catching. Usually one color is dominant and the others secondary in importance. A complimentary scheme uses colors across from each other on the color wheel and is generally found to be visually pleasing to most people. Complementary color schemes

are tricky to use in large doses, but work well when you want something to stand out.

Colour preferences are not always the same as favorite colours. You may love cobalt blue as glass –

but not as a color on your walls. Lightened and subdued, cobalt might become a colour you prefer and would like to live with.

An idea file can help you identify your colour preferences. Start with decorating books, magazines and catalogues. As you look through your books and magazines, flag or cut out pictures of things that appeal to you, whether it’s an entire room, a fabric or a vase of flowers.

Do coloured walls look inviting? Maybe you like the feel of an all-white room or perhaps you prefer botanical or textured solids? Don’t try to analyze why you like something; just collect the ideas and include family members in this discovery process, because everyone’s preferences count.

Analyze your colour preferences by sitting down with your idea file and ask yourself a few questions.

Do you like cool blues, greens and violets? Or warm reds, yellows and oranges? Perhaps you feel

more at ease with neutrals. Do you prefer combinations of just a few colours or combinations that include many colours. One approach is not necessarily easier than the other; it’s all a matter of taste.

Which is your least favourite colour? For adults, it is usually orange. But, can you see the potential in light-value, low-intensity versions of orange; colours that might be described as pumpkin or spice?

Don’t rule it out, in the right form, in the right amount and in the right situation, your least favourite colour may turn out to be just right. Colours look different in varied levels of lighting and will greatly affect the

way you perceive it. Certain colours will have a different impact according to the characteristics of your space. Always view samples of paint or wall coverings in the rooms in which they will be used both during day and with the lights on at night so you get a true sense of how they will appear.

A child’s room is a great place to have fun with lots of colour! Kids’ preferences tend to lean toward

high-intensity hues. Do you prefer light, airy colours or dark, dramatic ones, bright colours or quiet colours? Recognizing your preferences in these aspects of colour is especially helpful when you

choose a wall colour.

What part of the natural world appeals to you? Just because you love the ocean doesn’t mean you

must build your colour scheme around blue – in fact, ocean colours include many warm hues. Your preference might lead you to blue-greens, yellow greens, even yellow-oranges as well as neutrals. Do you long for a calm space, or do you hope to create a high-energy room? If you favour a quiet earthy ambience, use warm neutrals, a single colour in many variations, or related colours such as cool clear blues, aqua or sandy tans, warm browns and orange. If you’re after excitement, opt for more contrast-colours from all around the colour wheel, lots of light/dark contrast, and doses of high intensity colour. You’ll always get the best results when you FOLLOW YOUR HEART, so I suggest you just go and explore!!