Decorating
Colour: 9 Ways to be Brave With Colour
Before you think colour just isn’t for you, take a look at these modern, fresh and – yes – sophisticated schemes
Let’s be honest, colour – especially bold brights – can be a bit scary. How much easier it is to go for neutrals. But colour can really lift a home out of the ordinary and give it a modern update. It can help to wake up a plain room or highlight a centrepiece feature. From a simple hit of a saturated shade to a careful mix of zingy brights, slotting in strong hues is more effective – and easier – than you might think. Take a look at these 10 schemes and see whether any catch your eye, then start exploring the colour wheel.
Restrict your palette
Despite the apparent riot of colour in this room, there are actually only three brights at play. Restricting your palette like this allows you to use colour everywhere without it overwhelming the room. The other key decorating trick here is the use of black, which anchors the scheme and links all the elements together.
Despite the apparent riot of colour in this room, there are actually only three brights at play. Restricting your palette like this allows you to use colour everywhere without it overwhelming the room. The other key decorating trick here is the use of black, which anchors the scheme and links all the elements together.
Boost with a single bright
Nervous of adding colour to a sophisticated grey and white scheme? Choose just one delicious bright and use the same shade in several places to add warmth in a cool way. Imagine this room without the purple – it would be colder and have less depth. Other colours that work beautifully with grey include yellow, chartreuse, cerise and turquoise.
Nervous of adding colour to a sophisticated grey and white scheme? Choose just one delicious bright and use the same shade in several places to add warmth in a cool way. Imagine this room without the purple – it would be colder and have less depth. Other colours that work beautifully with grey include yellow, chartreuse, cerise and turquoise.
Warm with orange and purple
Burnt orange and palatinate purple are, in theory, clashing colours, but, as this image shows, they actually make great partners. The purple adds an elegant note to this grey sofa, while orange is energising and lifts the mood of the room. They both add richness – especially in velvet – and do their best work in north-facing rooms.
Burnt orange and palatinate purple are, in theory, clashing colours, but, as this image shows, they actually make great partners. The purple adds an elegant note to this grey sofa, while orange is energising and lifts the mood of the room. They both add richness – especially in velvet – and do their best work in north-facing rooms.
Build on stripes
Stripes are a great way to introduce several shades into a scheme, as you can see at a glance which colour combinations appeal to you. Picking out the hues in this wallpaper for the furniture and soft furnishings has helped to create a colourful scheme that really hangs together. This purple bed linen might not have seemed the perfect partner for a teal chest of drawers, for instance, but the colours look so pleasing together in the wallpaper, it was a safe bet they would make a great team.
Explore 10 ways with a striped wall
Stripes are a great way to introduce several shades into a scheme, as you can see at a glance which colour combinations appeal to you. Picking out the hues in this wallpaper for the furniture and soft furnishings has helped to create a colourful scheme that really hangs together. This purple bed linen might not have seemed the perfect partner for a teal chest of drawers, for instance, but the colours look so pleasing together in the wallpaper, it was a safe bet they would make a great team.
Explore 10 ways with a striped wall
Add a riot in one rug
One feature can be enough to bring in lots of colours. This rug introduces a rainbow of shades and acts as a cheerful centrepiece in an otherwise calm, neutral room. It’s a movable feast, too, and could easily be swapped for something plainer to change the mood.
One feature can be enough to bring in lots of colours. This rug introduces a rainbow of shades and acts as a cheerful centrepiece in an otherwise calm, neutral room. It’s a movable feast, too, and could easily be swapped for something plainer to change the mood.
Say yes to a little zest
The kitchen splashback is a classic place to use colour, allowing you to introduce a bold shade without a big commitment. This orange glass splashback gives the all-white scheme a little zesty zing. Citrussy shades, from orange to lemon and lime, look beautifully fresh, or why not try a little pattern to really create a focal point?
See more bold splashback choices
The kitchen splashback is a classic place to use colour, allowing you to introduce a bold shade without a big commitment. This orange glass splashback gives the all-white scheme a little zesty zing. Citrussy shades, from orange to lemon and lime, look beautifully fresh, or why not try a little pattern to really create a focal point?
See more bold splashback choices
Rev up with red
Passionate, fiery, energising… What better colour for the scene of culinary creativity than red? These glossy, rich red cabinets add spirit to this airy kitchen. Lashings of white prevent the look overheating, while a row of plain red pendant lights keeps the units company and completes the scheme.
Passionate, fiery, energising… What better colour for the scene of culinary creativity than red? These glossy, rich red cabinets add spirit to this airy kitchen. Lashings of white prevent the look overheating, while a row of plain red pendant lights keeps the units company and completes the scheme.
Team warm and cold
This royal blue sofa is stunning, but it could look cold in this pale room. Teaming it with a chair in warm chartreuse adds a sunny note to the space and brings the blue alive. A smattering of cushions and knitted pouffes in the same shades reinforces the combination, while glossy white and shiny chrome pieces sharpen the scheme.
TELL US...
Have you used bold colour in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
This royal blue sofa is stunning, but it could look cold in this pale room. Teaming it with a chair in warm chartreuse adds a sunny note to the space and brings the blue alive. A smattering of cushions and knitted pouffes in the same shades reinforces the combination, while glossy white and shiny chrome pieces sharpen the scheme.
TELL US...
Have you used bold colour in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
With its ocean associations, blue is a natural choice in a bathroom, but some shades can be on the cold side. This turquoise immediately says warm tropical waters, and gives this neutral scheme a serene, escapist mood. Choose a rich matt emulsion to give the colour depth and flank it with white to really highlight its beauty.