Where to start when choosing paint colours?
“Various things could act as your starting point when choosing paint, and these will depend on your scenario,” explains Edward. “It might be existing features, or it might be a colour you’re set on using, or it may well be the element your builders are asking you to order first! Whatever they are, work with these.”
Knowing what you don’t like is as useful as knowing what you do like, advises Rita. “Accept your own style and find your taste rather than trying to copy other people. As you’re beginning to pull colour together, make sure you consider how one room flows to another. This is particularly important downstairs, where the rooms tend to lead into each other.”
While colour is important, perhaps the most important and defining element to consider is how exactly you will occupy the room, adds Edward. “When will you mostly use it, who will use it and what feeling do you want to evoke?” Using these factors to evaluate your decision around colour will help to drive and narrow down your choices based on practicality.
Understanding colour and light
The aspect of your room determines how much light it gets and the quality of that light. Edward explains: “A south facing room receives the most daylight, and will normally work with most colours as a result. You won’t need to consider the impact of artificial light as much, as you likely won’t need lamps during the day. If you have a north aspect, there’s no getting around the fact that the sun will not reach the room and it’s unlikely to benefit from much daylight. Because of this, you should be decorating with the impact of artificial light at the forefront of your mind. I like to lean into the cosseting nature of these rooms, and tend to use mid to deep colours that contain underlying warmth in their tonality.”
East and west facing rooms also need to be treated differently, warns Edward. “West facing rooms receive the most daylight in the evening, whereas east facing rooms will see the most sunshine in the mornings. As these rooms do receive strong daylight during parts of the day, there is an argument for using both deep colours and paler tones to great effect. What should in fact impact your decorating choices the most is how you will use the rooms and when.”
Kitchens
No longer a place for only preparing food, nowadays the kitchen is the heart and hub of the home and should be decorated to meet the needs of everyone enjoying the space. Even if you have lots of cabinets and units to consider, start by choosing a wall colour. “Figure out what works in the space in terms of tonality and atmosphere, and then begin to consider this in relation to the cabinet colour,” explains Edward. “A kitchen can be a great place to keep the palette more neutral and restrained, saving deeper, more daring decorating choices for living rooms and bedrooms where you can introduce more fabrics and artwork.”
