Colour it bold for welcome feeling
Whether for a children’s room, family room or a space you’re looking to incorporate bold, vivid looks, a fun and festive colour scheme can be a welcomed pick-me-up.
Full, bright colours can make a statement and work well blended with neutral colours such as taupe, brown, black and grey.
Don’t know where to start? The best springboard is to find an inspiration piece and build a colour palette around it. Perhaps it’s an area rug, piece of art, an accent chair or your favourite colour. The key is to pick a colour you love, and don’t be afraid to mix and match and use complementing colours.
Orange
Bright and friendly, yet capable of being sophisticated, orange is one of the most versatile bright colours. You can pair orange with yellow in a family room or playroom, or with charcoal grey or white in an adult space for a sleek, modern look. Not sure which shade to pick? Consider brighter tones if you are looking for a more playful, youthful look, and more muted tones such as a burnt orange for a more sophisticated look.
Yellow
Yellow is a great choice, especially if you are a fan of gold and brass finishes, one of the hottest finishes in home decor right now. Yellow can also help perk up a space. Yellow can be youthful, warm and welcoming. Consider a bright and bold tone similar to the colour of a lemon if looking to brighten a space. Darker shades such as mustard can still mimic sunshine and help reflect light, while also feeling warm, light and inviting. Yellow pairs well with white and grey.
Pink
Powder or pastel pink is one of the more popular pastel colours. Pink pairs extremely well with brown and grey. Pink used in spaces that might be smaller in size, such as a home office or children’s bedroom, can also add a sense of freshness when paired with foundation colours such as white. A great use of pink is in accessories and accents such as coffee table books or toss pillows.
Green
Green can be a tricky colour, in large part because of how it might be affected by other colours and even natural light. One of the main attributes of many shades is a lot have yellow undertones, which help even darker shades feel light and airy. Looking for an even lighter shade? Consider a green that might have white undertones and might be closer to a pastel. Pastel or mint green can be a successful colour choice like other pastels, without appearing medicinal if paired with grounding colours such as grey, brown and black. You can always incorporate various tints, tones and shades of green to make a space feel cohesive.
Purple
A colour often associated with royalty, purple is often confused as being overly youthful. The reality is purple is a rare colour that can be both playful and sophisticated, even with muted tones. Pair purple with foundation colours such as black, brown and grey.
Cathy Hobbs is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert.