Top tips from Tash Bradley, head colour specialist at Lick
An easy way to create a colour scheme is to use the 60-30-10 rule. Your dominant colour should take up 60% of the space: picture it on the walls and large pieces of furniture such as the sofa. The secondary colour takes up 30% of the space: use it for medium-sized objects such as rugs. Finally, the accent colour is 10% of the space. Use it for accessories such as vases or trinket trays.
Make sure that your dominant colour is featured through the largest pieces of furniture within your room as this will tie the space together.
Your secondary and accent colours will then elevate the main shade.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different tones within your three colours.
Let’s say you’ve opted for a pink on your walls and you’re planning to tie it in with the sofa cushions. The walls and the cushions don’t have to be the same shade of pink. Play with a combination of dark and light tones within the same colour: the brilliant thing about the 60-30-10 rule is that it will always create a great result.
Use a colour wheel as a simple way to choose colours.
If you want to create a harmonious scheme, look for colours that sit next to each other (think blue, blue-green and green, for example). Or, to add drama, choose contrasting colours that sit opposite each other on the wheel, such as pink and green.
The key to choosing contrasting colours is to make sure they have the same undertone so the combination doesn’t feel overwhelming.
For example, if you’ve got a grey with a green undertone, that green undertone will pair beautifully with a white with a green undertone.
If you’re not confident choosing contrasting colours, try our Palette 01: Neo Deco collection, which we created in collaboration with Livingetc.
All the colours are contrasting, but because they’re all soft, pastel shades with lots of white in them, they all work together in whatever combination you choose to use them.
You can use the 60-30-10 rule for neutrals, too.
In fact, it’s a great way to prevent neutral spaces looking flat. For example, I worked with a client who only loves white. We used an off-white on the walls, a different white on the ceiling and another white on the skirting. This made the room feel very designed.
For a nature-inspired scheme, look at shades of blue.
They’re soothing and calming and can create a feeling of escapism – you’ll feel as though you’re on holiday! The Lick Livingetc palette has been our most popular blue. All three shades – Blue 08, 09 and 10 – work together and provide a gorgeous monochrome statement. lickhome.com