When it comes to your home’s colour, some like it hot
Bring the entire family together with this season’s best warm hues
Understanding paint colours is as simple as turning on a tap, says Brad Elkins, senior brand manager for Dulux paints. “Red is hot and blue is cold.” As for which end of the paint colour spectrum you pick for your walls, it really comes down to personal preference.
“The colours that work best in your home are those that work with what you already have,” Elkins says. “I can tell you what the hot colour is for 2012, but if you put it on your walls and hate it, then it’s not so hot.”
Within the spectrum of hot and cold there are a lot of options in between – whether it’s red, yellow or orange at the warm end or blue and violet on the cool side.
“Technically speaking, warm colours have longer wavelengths and cooler colours have shorter wavelengths,” says Sharon Grech, colour and design spokesperson for Benjamin Moore. “Green is midway along the spectrum and is the most neutral of the colours since it consists of both blue and yellow. It can be warm or cool, depending on which undertone is dominant.”
Of course, there are rooms where warmer walls really work, and others where it’s better to paint it cool. “In general, warm colours advance and cool colours recede,” Grech says. “So a large, open space can feel more intimate and much cozier with a warm colour scheme.”
Warmer hues also tend to be livelier and are ideal in rooms where you entertain, says Mylene Gevry, marketing communications manager for Sico. “Warm tones are great in living rooms because they stimulate conversation and encourage people to sit around and talk.”
Here are some of the hottest warm shades for 2012: Red
This year’s reds aren’t as intense as they were a few years ago, Elkins says. “The trend is luxury and refinement with a classic feel.” For instance, Dulux’s Stewart House Brown is a rich, reddish chocolate brown that adds drama to a room and also works well on an accent wall. New for CIL is Tea Dance, a coral red with hints of yellow that would warm up any living room. Sico’s star colour is Ming Red. Behr’s elegant Bolero red illustrates how the colour temperature of a warm hue, especially a red, can be seen as a truly hot colour. Grey
Smokey, warm greys are big for 2012. Dulux’s Raindrop is a warm neutral grey with a yellow tinge that’s ideal in a den or study, Elkins says. “It’s perfect for a room that doesn’t get a huge amount of traffic, but that you want to keep light and warm. On the other hand, O’keefe Grey is a more traditional, beige-y grey that’s ideal for hallways and other high-traffic areas because it hides fingerprints.” Benjamin Moore also has rich new greys for 2012, including Stardust. “It’s a warm, earthy grey with a chameleon quality that co-ordinates with most every hue,” Grech says. Yellow
Mustard yellows and smooth, creamy colours, such as CIL’S Golden Ember, are especially popular for 2012. For Behr, Basketry acts as a neutral, but imbues warmth because of its yellow undertones,