HOW TO DECORATE LIKE A DESIGNER

Introduction
Decorating can be a daunting task, whether you have a whole new home or just
one room that needs redesigning or updating. Taking time to plan before you
begin will be the key to getting the result you want and add enormously to your
enjoyment of the decorating process.
Consider the era of your home in combination with the design style you would like
to introduce. Any combination of periods and styles can work together with a little
care, forward planning and attention to detail. Dont be limited by thinking that if
you have a traditional period home you must adhere to an interior typical of that
period, particularly if you love modern furnishing styles mix it up, its easier than
you think.
Planning goes hand-in-hand with interior design and decorating. If you can live in
your home for a while before imposing any major changes, you will gain a better
understanding of what is required.
Use this book to help you think about the style and ambience you would like to
create. There are so many possibilities; you may find it helpful to make up a mood
board, collecting images, colours and fabrics that evoke the feel of what you would
like to live with at the end of your project. This is especially helpful if you have
existing elements or furnishings to incorporate into your new look.
Above all, however, enjoy decorating and restyling your home. Discover the
satisfaction to be had from planning your decorating project, seeing it through and
delighting in the look of your newly decorated room(s).
If you find yourself stuck at any stage or just want that added confidence in your
choices, dont be afraid to call in a qualified, experienced interior designer for a
consultation. Having a good designer whom you enjoy working with is like having
a treasure trove of ideas, possibilities and practical how-to advice, plus they will be
more honest than your best friend!
Remember that there is no right and wrong when it comes to expressing your
unique tastes. Dont be afraid to show your personality in your living environment;
its your place to reflect your life and aspirations.
The sooner you start, the sooner youll be finished so get decorating!

FINDING YOUR STYLE

Contemporary Style
Why it appeals and who it works for
The clean lines and attention to detail of a contemporary look will appeal to those
who love sleek, light and airy open spaces.
Contemporary design and decoration style is ideal for anyone who wants to
streamline their possessions with structure and organisation. Conversely, this look
is not suited to those who love intimate surroundings, a hotchpotch of possessions
on display or a cluttered array of mix-and-match furniture.
Created around a careful and considered approach to design and decoration, a
successful contemporary interior requires that every item and surface is included
in the scheme after much thought and planning.

Contemporary style, more than any other, leads to people seeking the help and
guidance of a professional interior designer. As your contemporary style relies on
a pared back look, every surface, furniture item and placement becomes critical to
the end result; this can be too overwhelming for many people.
Fortunately, if you choose to approach your project like a skilled interior designer,
you can make all your selections before making a single purchase. By taking the
time and having the patience to do this, you will be much more able to instantly
visualise the end result. Once you are happy with your choices, then its a matter
of sticking to your plan and implementing it, step by step.
Considered by many to be unsuitable for a busy family home due to its hard
surfaces, sharp edges and slightly minimal style, contemporary style can be
surprisingly practical, durable and luxurious.
A well-planned and executed contemporary interior that includes surfaces and
floors with hard, non-slip finishes is a durable, easy-to-maintain option.
The key to making a contemporary interior work well for busy people and families
is to ensure that there is ample storage to accommodate daily living
paraphernalia, including sports equipment, kitchen utensils and kids toys.
There is no need to compromise on comfort or colour when creating a
contemporary look. Clean lines and hard surfaces can be softened with luxurious
cushions, throws and tactile rugs.
Contemporary furniture and accessories are available in a riot of vivid colours,
guaranteed to add a dramatic look for those who prefer to make a bold statement
with their contemporary-style home.
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T HE C ONTEMPORARY L OOK
To live with a contemporary style, you dont need to have cutting-edge furniture or
bare surroundings. A contemporary environment can be taken to a minimalist or
stark look if thats your intention. It can also be adapted to combine all the basic
elements of the style but with a softer approach.
Essentially, it is the trademark open-plan layouts and seamless looks that create a
contemporary feel for any home.
Often the biggest challenge faced by my clients when choosing the fresh, clean,
uncluttered look of a contemporary style is knowing what pieces of their existing
furniture can be integrated into their new look and which items have to go.
It can be difficult being ruthless, and I have often been called on to confirm for a
client what they already know let old favourites and the accumulated odds and
ends of furniture go.
After all, if a fresh, new, cohesive look is what you want when youre finished,
better to give grandmas high-backed, carved Victorian chair with the tapestry seat
and wobbly leg to a deserving new home now.
The materials used for the finishes are of utmost importance in creating a
contemporary interior. The focal points of the style are the surfaces, walls, floors
and bench tops, along with the finishes of furniture and accessories. These
elements should all be chosen with due consideration to provide an area of
uninterrupted space.
Hardwearing contemporary surfaces, paired with sleek-styled furniture which has
clean, smooth lines will make the ideal bones of an excellent contemporary
interior. This can then be softened with fabrics and art or left in its minimal
splendor if desired.
Contemporary style demands a certain adherence for pared-down living and
hidden mess, so that the overall effect is neat and ordered.
To achieve comfortable living without being a slave to your dcor, ample storage
must be incorporated into your design at the planning stage, so there is a place for
everything at the completion of your makeover.
With effective and convenient storage, even the busiest family can enjoy a
contemporary-style home where belongings can be quickly and easily hidden
away behind closed doors. Clever storage solutions that are built into the overall
design ensure that the carefully planned layout of the room and its contents
remains clear and soothing to the eye.
Even accessories are best kept to a minimum for a contemporary-style room and
the few that are included should rely on their large scale and isolated positioning
to add impact and interest to the room.

K EY C ONTEMPORARY C OLOURS
It is a forgivable assumption that pure white is the only, or best, option for a
contemporary interior. As many of the contemporary white paints contain black,
the result can often be a dirty white or, at worst, a cold blue hue. When cold white
paint is combined with floor-to-ceiling glass doors or windows (which many new
homes have in abundance), the final result can be a cold, harsh, unfriendly feel for
your home.
It can be far more effective to use softer shades of white or a tonal colour scheme
or a layered approach to colours that create a flow through the house instead of
complicating the look by adding a variety of colours.
Interior designers who are confident and accomplished in the use of monochrome
schemes often opt for palettes of taupe, grey and stone which incorporate different
tones and strengths to define areas in a room or house this creates a very
sophisticated, timeless finish.
Whether you intend to create a harmonious blend for all the elements of your
room or introduce pieces of contemporary furniture in bright, vibrant colour and
statement pieces of colorful art, a neutral background colour allows for a wide
choice in furnishings and accessories.
When opting for a tonal room without highlight colours, be sure to add interest
around the room with texture and interesting surface details, as this will counter
the possibility of a bland or uninteresting result.

Key Characteristics of a Contemporary Style

Seamless, open-plan living areas

Hard surfaces

Good storage

Streamlined simple furnishings

Neutral-coloured walls

Less is more

FINDING YOUR STYLE

C LASSIC S TYLE
Why it appeals and who it works for
If you want to live in luxurious surroundings with things displayed simply and
elegantly, then classic style is the look for you.
This is a very grown up look and demands structure and discipline to create, as
well as a desire for a somewhat formal feel to your living space. A successful
classic interior will require absolute attention to detail, the very best quality in
furniture, fabrics and furnishings, as well as a strict approach to arranging your
room.
The classic look works best in homes with some traditional features, even if this is
only represented by the configuration and use of the rooms. This look is ideally
suited to larger homes or ones with rooms with ample proportions as this allows
the space for refined placement that is essential to creating an elegant look.
Due to its timelessness and enduring appeal, a classic style can be introduced to
one room or section of a home. This can be a good option to take if you like the
look but know that you have a busy lifestyle that comes with an array of modern
paraphernalia and/or the chaos of children.

A good classic style does not need to be derived from a specific or single-dcor
period, so you are free to create something that uses all the principles of classic
design while incorporating the demands of modern-day living.
Taking this approach to your classic design will make your task far easier than
adhering to ridged rules of a specific traditional era. Allowing yourself to mix
pieces that work well together will relieve you of having to source authentic period
pieces, add architectural details or locate historically correct colours. Such things
inevitably contribute to a contrived or overworked interior, anyway.

T HE C LASSIC L OOK
The key to creating an excellent classic look is in the quality of the interior
elements, from architectural details to furnishings and finishing touches. Once a
classic interior has been designed, there is little flexibility, as each item plays a
specific role and has an optimal position in the room.
Underpinning a true classic look is the repeated use of symmetry. A pleasing
symmetrical design provides the structure on which to produce either a strong or
subtle look, as well as the essential opportunity for the quality of materials to shine
through.
Applying the basic principles of symmetry in a classically styled home can be
relatively easy. For example, a bed flanked by two matching bedside tables, each
with a matching lamp and a well-framed print centred over the bed. The effect is
simple, sophisticated and easy to achieve if you have a large, well-proportioned
room with high ceilings, uniform window sizes and some existing classically
inspired features.
However, if you are not blessed with such a room, then it is best to take some time
to gain an understanding of the potential of your rooms, lines, volumes and
proportions.
If your room is an awkward shape or size, look at it simply as a box. What is the
one thing you think would improve its proportions? Is it extra ceiling height?
Perhaps it needs a focal point such as a fire place. Or is it that it lacks a single
wall without a door, window, wardrobe or other such obstruction in it?
Once you have defined what it is that will help improve your rooms bones, you
can then use some visual tricks to achieve this. Knowing this information is vital
before starting your Classic-style dcor or colour scheme.

Any classic-styled room can include

contemporary elements, such as
modern built-in cupboards, recessed
lighting and/or aluminium window
frames, providing these elements are
incorporated using classic guidelines.

Furniture can be a mix of authentic antiques, antique reproduction or more

modern styles. It must, however, be based on classic style imposing beds, hugescale mirrors, elegantly shaped furniture with decorative detailing.
When teamed with an authentic or classically inspired colour palette, plain and
elegant furnishings and carefully selected accessories (all of utmost quality), these
elements will combine to create a look that will add timeless appeal to your home.

K EY C LASSIC C OLOURS
Originally, the classic colour palette was derived from natural pigments and so
produced a varied range of tones from soft, creamy whites and golds through to
shades of taupe, brown, deep red, green and the more exotic shades of blue.
While the colour palette for a classic look may be broad, rooms should be
decorated extremely simply. Sparing use of colour on walls looks best with either
a lighter or darker shade for trims, mouldings and doors. Contrast limited wall
colours with beautiful wood flooring or a superb quality, self-patterned wool carpet
as a sophisticated backdrop.
If you are incorporating your classic look into a home which has extensive
architectural features, such as panelled walls, picture rails and/or ornate cornices,
be wary of the temptation to highlight each of these features with a different or
strongly contrasting colour. This can serve to distract the eye when you are
attempting to create a considered, cohesive and structured interior.

Key Characteristics of a Classic Style

Symmetry

Architectural features

Good-quality materials

Elegant furniture

Sparing use of colour/contrast with furnishings

FINDING YOUR STYLE

Global Style
Why it appeals and who it works for
Global style has a widespread appeal that can be applied to any style and size of
interior. It is a look that can be introduced in a variety of ways. Requiring a
confident approach to combining traditional design, vibrant pattern, bold colour
and unique creations, it is a look that can be introduced in a variety of ways and
also be subtle or restrained when a more orderly or classic approach is used.
For example, a beautifully carved Indian cupboard topped with a collection of
wooden boxes can be combined with a traditional colonial-style four-poster bed
that has a few decorative, ethnic-styled feature cushions.
The key to creating an appealing global-style interior is to choose items that are
practical for the way you live. This may require you to think of inventive ways to
use the more unusual pieces that exemplify your global look. A Thai rain drum, for
example, can make an exotic yet practical coffee table, and/or a pair of intricately
carved Indonesian printing blocks can make wonderful bookends.
With its fusion of styles, you can carefully mix items from around the globe to
make the single or mixed theme what you want (hence, the term global).
Handcrafted items, which typify the global look, are often made from unusual
materials and have a rich, tactile quality to them think of handmade woven
baskets, rough-carved furniture, the luster of Asian lacquer and the smooth
surface of marble.
If the idea of bringing the world into your home appeals, then global style is the
look for you.

The Global Look

It has never been so easy to access a variety of furniture pieces and furnishings
from around the world. With its many regional styles and exotic looks, global style
has opened a fascinating new door to creating interiors that incorporate a myriad
of unusual shapes, textures and colours.
Perhaps as a reaction to the mass-produced furnishings of the west, global style
offers us the opportunity to return to the handmade, homespun designs and
traditional ethnic production which servers to make each item unique.
It is easy to see why global-style decorating has become popular; it is based on
creating your own style, whether you are prepared to invest in authentic antiques
or just add a few simple ethnic accessories to your existing room.
Even with its slightly bohemian look, achieving a truly inspiring global-style interior
demands more than simply throwing any mix of cheap and cheerful furnishings
together and calling it global.
The essence of a great global-style room is isolation; allowing each interesting
and unique piece the right amount of visual space so that its special intricacies
can stand out is paramount.
Whether you are starting a global style from scratch by buying imported pieces
locally or have an existing collection you want to enhance with a complete global
style dcor, never underestimate the value of the less is more line of thinking.
An interior decorator that is accomplished in global-style decorating will
instinctively know how to achieve the best collective look and colour of a global
style. However, the secret to success for home decorators is allowing a subtle link
between all of the elements in your room.
This may be a single colour that is repeated throughout the scheme; for a truly
successful global style, this approach must be extremely understated. An
overstated, repeated colour will spell death to the interest and intrigue of your
global style.
Alternatively, you may prefer to create your global look from one corner of the
world. This can bring cohesion to your look in an organic way. Try pairing pieces
from China and Japan or simply picking India, Africa or South America, each of
which has a maximum of diversity and styles contained in the one country. Either
way, contrast, detail and a naturally handmade feel are the cornerstones of the
eclectic visual feast you are attempting to create with your global style.
Global style allows for flexibility in its interpretation and can be a way to create
rooms with personality and individuality. Whether a considered understated
approach is taken or a complete transformation, including a bold-colour palette, a
global style can be a way to evoke an exotic mood and influence a very different
way of living with your interior.

Key Global-style Colours

By its nature, global style derives its colour palette from around the entire world,
and naturally colours change and vary from country to country and region to
region. For example, you may relate global style with the hot pinks of India, yet it
can be symbolic of the deep reds found in China, or the vivid blues and whites of
the Mediterranean.
Because of the vast array of colours, tones and hues representative of a global
style, it is best to pick just a few colours that you like from the palette and stick
with these throughout the scheme; this approach will allow areas to flow together.
If you are unsure how to achieve the colour- or texture-infused scheme you desire,
dont give up and opt for all white walls; give the challenge to a trained colour
consultant and let them guide you to a result you will be happy with.
For a more classic approach to your global style, combine traditional western
pieces with global touches. Opt for a more neutral colour scheme such as offwhite, stone or beige; this will bring a sense of calm to a riot of colour, while
providing a background to highlight the global features.

K EY C HARACTERISTICS OF A G LOBAL S TYLE

Exotic style

Ethnic/regional inspiration

Vibrant atmosphere

Textiles/texture

Wooden objects

Handcrafted irregularity

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WORKING WITH COLOUR

Colour Inspiration
The range, spectrum and possibilities for using colour are almost limitless. Within
a colour range (say red, for example), colour can range from crimson to scarlet or
terracotta to shocking pink. Used in different shades in different rooms, each of
these colours can provide a variety of looks and atmospheres in your home.
Consider, for example, a lavish, formal dining room, with rich crimson walls subtly
lit for evening entertaining. Picture how different this could be in a teenage girls
bedroom, where a hot pink wall behind the bed sets its intense brilliance against
pure white bedding, curtains and furniture.
There are several tried and tested ways to approach creating a colour scheme. If
the room you are planning to decorate will contain some, or all, of your existing
furnishings, then an easy way to arrive at a harmonious colour combination is to
start with colours from a favourite rug, vase or cushion. The colours should
already be ones that you enjoy and that work well with your intended look.
Take some time to consider brighter, deeper, softer or more earthy tones of the
colours you have chosen from your furnishing inspiration; looking for a straight
match, while logical, may result in a contrived or over-coordinated scheme its
the unexpected that can add that inspiring touch to your home.
Alternatively, if your home is brand new or to be completely redecorated, you may
well have an open scope. This can seem exciting and daunting at the same time.
To help you start your selection, a colour wheel chart may be useful. The colour
wheel shows how the spectrum of colours turns full circle, each colour graduating
into the next.

By using the colour wheel, you can see that a scheme which uses seemingly
unrelated colours, such as orange, green and indigo, can in fact result in a very
pleasing finish when applied in the right tones. Naturally, a scheme using colours
which are located opposite each other on the colour wheel will give a more lively
result, while colours that align next to each other, such as blue, aqua and teal, will
provide more subtle schemes.

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From your initial selections, begin to look for combinations of tones that you find
pleasing and combine these with one or two neutrals.
Your wall colours cannot be chosen in isolation. They must be considered along
with the many elements that will be in your newly decorated room, such as
flooring, window treatments, benches, cabinetry and furnishing fabrics, not to
mention the new, or existing, exterior colour scheme.
Many home decorators have an idea of what they would like their newly decorated
home to look and feel like on completion. However, knowing how to approach the
task is one thing and being confident to push ahead with colour selections on their
own is quite another.
If your colour scheme doesnt come together quickly and smoothly, you may find
yourself getting bogged down in too many choices or stressed from fixating on
choosing between minute variances in shade. If you reach this stage, dont be too
proud or stubborn to admit that what you thought would be fun is turning into a
nightmare and its time to consult with an experienced, trained colour consultant.
Infinitely more equipped with up-to-date colour skills than any friends or family
members well-meaning input, a competent colour consultant will have had years
of experience helping people just like you.
Its even possible your consultant may have already created a scheme similar to
what you desire, with the added advantage of having seen hundreds of completed
painting/decorating projects. It will boost your confidence to know you have
someone on hand who already knows what a colour will look like when its
covering the walls of your room or the whole house itself!

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There are no right and wrong colours, and with careful selection, any combination
can be made to go together; its simply a matter of selecting the right tone, hue
and strength to give you the desired final outcome.
Remember, too, that your consultant is working for you and is only focused on
achieving your look the way you want it. Dont turn your task over to your colour
consultant just in order to see if you like what they will come up with when left to
their own devices. If you already have colours or a style in mind, let them know
right up front, as it will help get you an end result you are happy with, as well as
saving you time and money.
Dont be afraid to communicate what you like or dont like; even if this is only
described in feelings (warm, cool, inviting, relaxed, cheerful), its up to you to
convey your ideas for your home. After all, when its complete, it will be you who
will have to live with it.
Important Choices
Your choice of colours can make a room seem smaller or larger, cramped or
spacious, warmer or cooler, brighter or more subdued. Knowing which colours to
select to achieve the precise effect you want is not always an easy task. The
secret of success lies in the skill with which the fabrics, furniture, wallpaper and
decorative objects are selected and mixed. So it is vital to look, learn and plan as
much as you can before actually buying anything.
Developing Your Colour Sense
While a natural eye for colour seems to be inherent in some people (even those
who lay claim to this as a God-given talent), it can be a case of the proof of the
pudding being in the eating.
Whatever your current level of skill, everyone (but the profoundly colour-blind) can
develop an eye for successful colour combinations and grow their awareness of
how colours and patterns can work together.
To explore your own taste and style, start to observe the colour combinations that
are around you in everyday life. Take a minute every now and then to look around
you and make a note of what you like and dont like about how colour has been
used in advertising, window displays and even clothing.
When it comes to working out your preferred combinations, try cutting out
interesting colours from magazines and pinning them up together on a board; you
will soon discover which combinations you find most pleasing.

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Some Rules to Guide You

Along with your colour wheel, here are some broad guidelines for helping you
choose colours and combinations for your home.
Emphasise a feeling of spaciousness through choosing a limited range of whites,
pale neutrals and shades of blue.
Suggest cosiness and intimacy by using plenty of deeper tones and bold colours
in the warm red range. Add a range of patterns and textures to break up large
blocks of solid colour.
Suffering from too much natural light? Darker tones will subdue a bright, sunny
room and appear to absorb the light rather than reflect it like light shades or bright
colours will.
A dull, shady or cool room can become lively, warm and vibrant when you use rich
or bright colours. Try some bold colours and strong contrast to create that inviting
atmosphere.
Looking for a calm, relaxed feel? Then cool tones and subtle contrasts will create
the atmosphere youre wanting.
All of these suggested effects for colours are dependent on the intensity of the
colour you select. As a general rule, the more grey tint a colour contains, the
earthier the effect of the transition; for example, a citrus orange with grey added
becomes a burnt orange.
Another valuable tool to tuck in your colour-selecting kit is the idea of incorporating
a variety of strengths of one colour into your scheme. Almost any colour can be
used at a proportion of its indicated strength. So if you like a colour but its too
strong for your application, then opting for a half- or quarter-strength may give you
the desired result.
One of the many advantages of this method is that by altering the strength of a
colour, you are not changing its intrinsic makeup, so you will get exactly the same
colour, only weaker or deeper, depending on if you increase or decrease the
strength of it.
This is an excellent approach to take if you want to visually alter the proportions of
a room. As we mentioned earlier, its often desirable for a room to appear to have
a higher ceiling, more width or a focal point. Subtly changing the strength of your
main colour can be an effective visual trick.

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Working with your colour scheme, you should bear in mind that deeper tones,
shades or strengths appear to be more prominent or visually come forward in a
room, whereas lighter, tones, shades and strengths are more recessive and seem
to be further away.
Therefore, if youre wanting to visually lift the height of a ceiling, consider a pure
white if your wall colour is very light; or if your walls have a moderate amount of
strength, think about using the same colour in a quarter- or even eighth-strength
on the ceiling.
Perhaps you want to highlight the wall that houses your fireplace to make it a focal
point of the room. Rather than opting for the ubiquitous and often less-than-subtle
feature wall, consider using the same colour as your main walls, applied at 150%
strength. This will make it appear more prominent in the room without introducing
an entirely new colour.
There are numerous ways to utilise this effective, elegant and low-cost way of
creating your colour scheme. Consider using lighter strengths on the walls in
hallways or rooms that dont receive a lot of natural light. Perhaps your home has
a picture rail. You may want to use a different strength on the section of wall
above the rail before the ceiling. Alternatively, you may wish to add extra definition
to a kitchen. Often, in rooms where there are lots of cupboards, it is possible to
simply increase the strength of your main wall colour to give more impact without
having one room be a different colour to the rest of the house.

The key to a successful colour scheme that includes one or more changes in
colour strength is to keep all the door and window frames, as well as skirting and
doors, in one uniform colour and strength. This provides continuity to act as a
bridge in unifying your various strengths of colour.
When considering the use of multiple strengths in your colour scheme, be aware
that very light shades of white only contain the most minuscule amounts of tinter.
Therefore, if you are only purchasing a very small quantity of paint, it may require
fewer tinters than can be calibrated by the tinting machine, and in these cases
half- and quarter-strengths are not possible.
Despite all these rules, using colour is a very personal matter. Like music, colour
varies enormously in the mood and atmosphere it creates. So allow your own style
to develop as you plan, and have confidence in whatever colours appeal to you.
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Colour Overview

Reds, Oranges and Yellows

Warm colours will make a room seem cosy and intimate, but use with care
because if the colour values are too strong or bright, the result can be
overpowering even claustrophobic.
Red
Red is the colour of vitality, passion and energy it is bright, exciting and
dramatic. As it is also the strongest advancing colour; it can be overpowering and
will make a room seem smaller if the stronger hues are used.
When red is tinted, it becomes pink. Often regarded as a feminine colour
associated with love and romance, pink is in fact a very versatile colour with many
different shades.
Warm pinks, like shell and salmon pink, help thaw the chill of cool rooms and are
a good background for large, visually heavy timber furniture in traditional homes.
Although pinks bring warmth to a colour scheme, cool pinks are those with an
element of blue in their makeup; for example, raspberry pink, fuchsia and pinkymauve a mysterious, sophisticated colour, ideal for bedrooms.
Deeper tones and shades of red are more subtle; for example, rose, plum and
claret. These create an elegant look in traditional living rooms, hallways, dining
rooms and studies.
Orange
A warm, friendly and happy colour, orange is almost as strong and advancing as
red and can be used in a similar way. It can be highly stimulating, especially if
combined with black, grey, white or blue, which are its complementary colours.
These are combinations that can work successfully in childrens playrooms,
bathrooms and kitchens.
Tinted oranges become peach, coral or apricot delicate, feminine and romantic
colours that work well in bedrooms. When it is greyed down, orange becomes
terracotta, tan or chestnut brown, producing very versatile decorating colours that
can be used with white or cream to create an elegant, warm, inviting scheme for a
hall, living room or office.

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Yellow
Yellow is a joyful colour associated with sunshine, warmth and summer. It is also
the colour of the mind, intellect and creative energy. Bright yellow will bring light
and sunshine into the darkest room but it is highly stimulating, so use with care.
Neutral backgrounds and the classic Scandinavian mix of yellow and blue will help
to ensure that it is not overpowering.
Yellow is a good colour for hallways, bathrooms, home offices and childrens
playrooms. Yellow, in the form of rich creams or pastel shades, is often a popular
choice for nurseries when the gender of the baby is not known in advance.
Greyed yellow becomes mustard, rich gold or subtle honey brown. These are the
colours to use in sophisticated schemes for traditional drawing rooms, bedrooms
and studies. A yellow with a hint of olive green can be elegant but take care as it
can look grey or lime chartreuse under artificial light.
Pale yellows are highly reflective and will make a small space seem larger and
brighter. When they go towards green, they become lime, which can be
stimulating and works well as an accent colour.

Use Reds, Oranges and Yellows to

Warm up rooms that feel cool or uninviting, like bathrooms and kitchens or any
south-facing rooms.

Promote a cosy and intimate atmosphere, for example in bedrooms or dining

rooms.

Make walls and ceilings advance into a room, thereby making large rooms look
smaller or high-ceilinged rooms look cosier.

Make rooms such as hallways appear inviting and welcoming.

Counterbalance or add warm contrasts to cool colour schemes.

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Greens, Blues and Violets

Greens, blues and violets are on the cooler side of the colour wheel, but often
appear far from cold. Many of them mix easily together and there are fewer
strident colours, making them a safe choice on which to base a scheme.
Green
Lively and invigorating, true green is the balance colour, halfway between the
warm and cool colours of the spectrum. In all its many guises, which allow it to be
a restful, vibrant or zingy colour, its an easy hue to live with and an ever-popular
choice for decorating schemes. The colour of nature and guaranteed to suggest
outdoors, green is a particularly good choice for city apartments or dull
townhouses where a sense of having the outdoors indoors is desirable.
Some greens can be very cold, but when mixed with warm, natural timber shades
in polished wooden flooring or furniture, they come to life and create a stunning,
serene room.
Pale tints of green create a very spacious look for small bathrooms and bedrooms,
and when green goes towards blue, it becomes minty, which is very refreshing in
a kitchen. Developing into aqua and teal, these green-based blues are everpopular for bathrooms, helping to arouse feelings of an aquatic setting without
needing to slavishly create a marine-themed bathroom.
Dark shades of green are rich and sophisticated deep malachite or forest green
work well in traditional styles of dcor or in more formal rooms of contemporary
homes, such as studies, libraries or games rooms. Used as the main colour, they
work best in rooms with bright, natural light and need balancing with white or
cream and reflective surfaces.
Greyed values of green can be very subtle. Sage, rosemary and olive greens are
always elegant and adapt to a myriad of styles, such as classic hallways, modern
kitchens or country-style sitting rooms.

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Blue
Blue is the colour of harmony, peace and devotion. It is associated with the sky
and wide vistas and creates an impression of space. Because it is basically a cool
colour, use it with care or you could end up with a cold, dreary or uninviting room.
Blue is relatively low in reflective light value; it will soften and diffuse strong
sunlight and thus calm down over-bright rooms. However, clear bright blue can
also be very cheerful, which makes it ideal for childrens rooms or basement living
areas.
The pure values of blue, especially as it starts to go towards green, peacock or
turquoise, can be very demanding, so are often best used in small amounts,
particularly if the small is small. Lightened to aqua, its freshness works well in
bathrooms and kitchens.
The greyed tones and shades of blue can be subtle. They look very effective
tamed with crisp neutrals white or cream or warmed up with contrasting
accents of orange, yellow or bright pink.

Violet
In its strongest value, a regal purple, this is a vibrant and demanding colour that
needs neutral contrasts. It works particularly well with its adjacent colours on the
colour wheel blue, blue-green and pink-violet.
The pale tints of lilac and lavender are delicate and feminine, giving a romantic
feel to a bedroom or sophisticated look to a living room. Lilacs, teamed with lime
greens, are very contemporary and evoke a fresh, timeless, summery feel.
Greyed lighter tints give subtle shades that are changeable in different lights, while
the darker shades offer us rich plums and aubergines. These deeper colours work
well in period settings when teamed with golds, rich creams and pale yellows.

Use Greens, Blues and Violets to

Alter the perceived dimensions of an area; cool colours in pale values make walls
and ceilings appear to be further away.

Balance the feel of a room that receives a lot of light.

Evoke a feeling of a marine environment.

Add contrasting cool accents to a warm colour scheme.

Create a calm and relaxed environment.

Cool down rooms with expansive areas of natural warm timber, such as polished
floors or panelled walls.

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WORKING WITH NEUTRALS

The No-colour Colours

The only three true neutrals are white, black and the in-between of grey, but there
are also the accepted neutrals or naturals the broken whites, creams, beiges,
taupes and soft browns of stone, undyed linen or wool.

Just Neutrals
Neutral colours on their own create a harmonious scheme and are often effective
for a very contemporary look, and with so many hardwearing, washable paints and
fabrics, are now an option for families and pet owners.
A basic rule of interior design is to consider the practical alongside the aesthetic. It
would be impractical, for example, to decorate a hallway in pale cream with an offwhite carpet and expect it to cope with the regular flow of visitors, muddy feet
and/or bike or baby buggy wheels. On the other hand, such a pure, simple colour
scheme would provide a pleasing atmosphere of calm in a main bedroom or
formal living room.
Black and white, especially when used together to form a pattern, is the most
stimulating and disturbing of neutral combinations. This combination should be
carefully planned and considered before being introduced to a room.

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Neutrals and Texture

If using neutral colours on their own in a room scheme, a good mixture of
contrasting textures smooth, rough, hard, soft, shiny and matt is important for
providing visual interest and stimulation.
Untreated wood, bamboo, rattan, wicker, bare brick, rough plaster, natural floor
coverings, unglazed terracotta, paper lampshades, undyed muslin and faux fur are
just some of the textural possibilities in neutral colour schemes. Smooth and shiny
textures to enhance your neutral scheme can include stone or ceramic surfaces,
leather furniture with a high luster, laminate flooring, polished wood and gloss
paint.

Neutrals in a Mixed Scheme

On their own, neutrals can be rather boring, so it is a good idea to enliven them
with contrasting accents. Follow the basic rule of relating these accents to the
overall style of the room, and choose warm or cool colours according to the
atmosphere you want.
Simply adding bright red to your all-white room by way of a red cushion, red bowl,
vase of red flowers and a picture of a red rose on the wall will fail to create a
scheme and does not work well even as a method of applying accent colour.
While popular, this approach usually creates too much visual tension in a room.
The room cannot be viewed as a unanimous whole, as the dots of red decoration
are distracting to the eye and compete with each other, preventing the eye from
resting automatically on the focal point of the room and then moving naturally to
view the highlights.
With a predominantly neutral scheme, you could use several different accent
colours, mixing cool and warm, or different tonal values of one or two colours.
Neutrals can also make a major contribution to other colour schemes. They
provide a good background for printed fabrics and wall coverings and provide an
element of quiet contrast, often unnoticed.

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When White is Not White

Many so-called neutrals (especially near-whites) are actually very pale tints of a
stronger colour. Creams can have tints of yellow or pink, while greiges
(grey/beiges) and browns can have undertones of warm orange or cool blue.
These origins may not be apparent until placed near another colour or neutral.
Pure white woodwork can make an off-white carpet look dirty, or a subtly shaded
woven fabric can just appear to be grey in the company of other neutrals.

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WORKING WITH PATTERN

Choosing Patterns
Like colour, pattern can serve many functions. It can be a focal point of a
backdrop and it can alter the apparent dimensions of a room. Patterned wall
coverings can soften angles and are more effective than plain surfaces for
disguising an odd-shaped room or uneven walls.
Where to Start?
When choosing a pattern, consider how effectively a large area of pattern will
complement, or contrast with, your existing or proposed colour and design
scheme.
Mood and Function
Patterns influence the mood of a room, so start by thinking about the way in which
you wish to use the room. Large, bold patterns like deep, rich colours are
intense and active; they work best as focal points in large living areas. Small,
subtle patterns like pale, neutral colours offer a less challenging backdrop.
The predominant colours in a pattern influence mood. Reds have a warm,
welcoming quality; blues are restful and calming; browns and oranges are warm;
yellows are bright and reflective; greens have a natural, cool and spacious feel.
Patterns in pale, neutral tones of these colours act like texture to add depth and
interest.
Colour Scheme
Think about the overall colour scheme of your room and consider if you want your
pattern to contrast or harmonise with your dcor. If the pattern is small with muted
colours, it will take on the appearance of a single colour when seen from a
distance. Similarly, a large pattern with very subtle colour variation has more
ability to integrate in a room than does a large pattern in a deep, bold, bright or
high-contrast colour-way. Again you can use your colour wheel to work out where
your patterns/colours fit as elements of your overall scheme.
Style of Pattern
A common mistake is to choose a pattern that is either too dark or too fussy. Dont
forget to consider both the lighting and the size of the area you are decorating. If
you are not certain what pattern to use, opt for one with an off-white background
and colours that subtly contrast with, or complement, the other colours in the
room.

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Balance
Balance is all-important and is one of the essential elements most often
overlooked by home decorators who become consumed with having exactly
matching colours, shades and patterns.
Such an approach will result in a lack of variety and interest, creating an
atmosphere of control and lifelessness. Conversely, and just as importantly, not
enough balance in a room can make it look chaotic. The human eye
unconsciously gravitates to seeking out repetition or grouping like items together.
Without the ability to do this in a room, we are left with a feeling of uneasiness or
disturbance. Worst of all, without adequate balance, your room may take on the
appearance of a last one left bargain shopping spree at the local bazaar and not
reflect the time, care or expense you have put into selecting its contents.
Types of Pattern
Just as there is an infinite range of colours, there is a vast variety of patterns to
choose from. Patterns are either static or dynamic. A static pattern is one where
the eye remains within the design geometric checks, or a small, repeated motif,
for example. With dynamic patterns, the eye is constantly travelling from one part
of the design to the other these include damasks and branching floral or leaf
designs.
Stripes
Depending on the combinations of colours used and the width of the stripes, a
stripy design can be subtle (like candy stripes) or bold (like deckchair stripes).
Stripes work well on walls, floors, upholstery and soft furnishings. The key to
success with stripes or combinations of stripes is to use the correct width of stripe
for the size of the item or area.
Regimented stripes in two contrasting colours can provide a formal look; this is
particularly effective on walls or tailored blinds. Stripes with a greater irregularity,
blurred lines and muted or blended colours will create a very different, more
relaxed effect when used in the same way.
Stripes are highly effective in altering the perceived dimensions of an area. For
example, bold, vertical stripes increase the apparent height of a room, while
horizontal stripes make walls appear longer and lower and can make a narrow
room appear wider. A striped hall carpet looks smart and welcoming as it draws
the eye into the room.

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Checks
Checks can vary in size from large-scale bold squares and trellis-style diagonal
checks to a miniscule two-colour check design that gives the appearance of a
solid colour from a distance. Checks work well with both solid colours and stripes.
Gingham, which is white checked with another colour, most commonly associated
with country kitchens and homemade jam, can look surprisingly good in modern
rooms.
Gingham can provide an edgy juxtaposition by challenging preconceived ideas.
When its teamed with materials not usually associated with it, like stainless steel,
or put in an unexpected room, like a bathroom, this tiny check can create a big
impact.

Spots
Bold spots work particularly well on rugs and
furnishings, while spots in subtle colours can look
good on the walls in a childrens room or family
area. Spots provide a light-heartedness when
applied in playful or bold colour combinations, and
even in formal settings a dot can stop a room
being too visually stuffy or serious. Spots and
stripes work well together when there is a
common colour to link the patterns.

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Geometrics

A regular geometric pattern is any regular design

other than stripes, checks or spots. Such patterns
tend to be static and formal; they are particularly
good on rugs and in rooms where a prevailing
masculine feel is desired. Bold geometric patterns
can make a strong statement, so need to be used
carefully if you intend to mix and match patterns on
walls or fabrics.

Pictorials
Pictorial designs range from French-inspired toile and traditional chinoiserie
patterns to oriental-style prints and fun themed designs associated with bathrooms
or childrens rooms. Pictorial fabrics can make wonderful roller blinds, as the
absence of pleats or folds allows the design to be fully visible when the blind is in
use.
Florals
Floral patterns range in size from small, busy sprigs to huge, dramatic flower
heads and encompass both traditional and modern styles. Ever-evolving interior
design trends will always ensure that one style, version or variety of floral is
constantly in favour.
The combination of florals, smaller stripes and plains
is timeless and can be adapted from the most
traditional period room to the ultra-contemporary
pared back minimalism. Repetitive floral patterns give
a sense of movement or flow, while structured florals
provide more of a geometric feel.
Floral wallpaper, while softer and more organic in its
patterns than stripes, still needs to be applied with
care or it, too, can be overpowering. A strong floral
can be more ideal when used on a feature wall or in
an entry where no constant day-to-day living takes
place.

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Abstracts
This is an extremely wide category which includes ethnic patterns, faux animal
skin prints, plus anything else not covered above. An abstract pattern often works
best if its the main or focal pattern in a room. A strong, colourful abstract pattern
can be a great starting point for a room scheme.

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