The colour palette is one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make when decorating a home. From paint colour charts to fabrics and finishes, colour can significantly affect how your home looks and feels.
Fresh wall paint colours, a fresh coat, and even home colour designs have the power to bring life into the space and influence the mood.
Australians, with their most exotic flora and fauna, countless beaches, and the hottest weather in the world, have a knack for fresh colours. Colours such as blues, greens, yellows, white etc., when it comes to painting their homes are a favourite.
Let’s giddy up and look at choosing the right colour palette for your home.
Selecting the best wall paint colours
That’s what anyone thinks of first. At this point, most people aren’t even thinking about the different types of paints and finishes. We will get to that later because deciding on a single colour is a difficult decision.
Even if you have a bedroom paint colour chart or the main concepts in mind, you are likely to have doubts in the back of your mind. But don’t worry, we’ve got the right advice for you:
● First, decorate
If your home is new or you are remodelling, look at your existing decor for ideas. You will come across something that grabs your attention and leads you in the right direction. Alternatively, you may want a wall paint colour that complements your block-printed drapes or your brand-new sofa set.
Finding a colour to complement your decor is far more accessible (and less expensive!) than finding fabrics, furniture, and furnishings that match the colours of your walls.
● Discover paint colour ideas
Decorating inspiration has always come from magazines and catalogues. On the internet, you can find pages and pages of inspiration. Retailer websites with room vignettes can be inspiring, and paint brands can show you how to use colour in your home.
Pinterest and Instagram, for example, provide colour inspiration that is updated in real-time. Pinterest is excellent for creating inspiration boards for the ideas you love, allowing you to keep all of your ideas in one place.
● Recognise the colour wheel
You’re probably wondering why you would need to understand that! It isn’t necessary, but understanding the basic precepts of the colour wheel will be beneficial, especially when deciding on secondary colours.
Similar/Analogous: The colours adjacent to the colour wheel should blend well and look the most harmonious. For instance, red-orange, orange-yellow, yellow-green, and so on.
Complementary: Colours opposite each other on the colour wheel are most complementary in creating a vibrant look. For instance, blue and orange, yellow and purple, and so on. Just be sure to use one as a dominant colour and the other as a subtle colour to avoid a jarring effect.
Monochromatic: This approach utilises hues of one primary colour for a calming effect. For example, you could go with a pale red wall and darker red window trims. Every paint company has colour strips showing the entire range of values for any given colour.
In the end
Remember that deciding on the right wall paint, finishes, and styles should represent your character and personal preferences — so concentrate on what is important to you.