PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

‘as well as the obvious choice of colours that are opposites on the colour wheel, schemes that work around tones can look equally powerful. Colours that work well together can be anything from acid yellow or orange with the deepest navy and areas of white, or mustard and deep sea green with taupe and black.

People associate colour blocking with bright shades, but tones of grey work particularly well with chalky pinks and lavender, and combining different depths of tone is also effective – like bright coral or deep terracotta with a soft and pale blue.

think outside the box – there are ways of using colour other than on one feature wall. think about carrying the area of contrasting colour around corners and onto the ceiling, or try creating zones in an open-plan living area.

Avoid having strong hues on all surfaces – when you use a bold colour on a wall, keep flooring neutral. Wooden floorboards or carpet in a natural shade are a good foil as they provide a calming influence.

work out the atmosphere and style you want to create, and be aware of how much natural light you get – you can compensate by incorporating a warm hue in a room without much natural light and vice versa.’