PICK YOUR POISON
The art theory known as ‘poison colour’ goes to prove that there can be nuance in choosing a contrast hue for your scheme, says Hugh Metcalf
Do you remember when the ‘colour pop’ phenomenon started? At the time, a collective love for colour was gradually seeping back into interior design, but it was before we reached the bold saturation of spaces that we’re seeing inform interior design trends in the present day. The idea is a very simple one – you bring some life and energy to your colour scheme by introducing an accent ‘pop’, usually a bright complementary shade that ensures your overall palette doesn’t feel flat. The most well-known example is probably grey and yellow – a colour combination that at one time had a grip on our homes, but has now slowed down in the style stakes.
It’s fair to say that the approach to using colour in the home has grown much more sophisticated as we move through the 2020s. Colour palettes have become more nuanced, creative and experimental, and the fear associated with using an abundance of colour (often linked to concerns over a home’s possible resale value) has faded over time. However, the one constant is the desire for a room’s colour scheme to feel energised and invigorated, not flat and toneless. But without falling back into the single colour pop situation, how do you approach making an unexciting colour palette come to life?
To elevate a colour palette with more subtlety, there’s an idea, originating in art theory, called the ‘poison colour’. ‘If you’ve spent a long time carefully picking out colours for a room, but your colour scheme feels slightly flat or boring, you need a few drops of bitterness to really make the sweetness sing,’ explains Karie Westermann, the textile designer and colour expert who introduced me to the concept. But what exactly gives a colour this poisonous quality?
There’s an instinctual nature to choosing a poison colour, Karie explains, that depends on the palette you’re working with. ‘The poison colour is not a contrast, nor can you just pick out a complementary colour on the colour scheme,’ she tells us.
‘I try to experiment because it depends upon the colour scheme I’m using and the location of the room. If it’s a harmonious scheme, you’ll want a different poison than if you have a colour scheme that works on contrasts,’ Karie continues. ‘If your room is full of earthy tones, try introducing a small amount of neon; if you’ve opted for a beachy feel with pale blues and pale browns, you might want to think about introducing a splash of black or even peach.’
There’s a je ne sais quoi you have to contend with when trying to find a poison colour, but I like to think of it as less of a contrast in terms of looking at complementary tones on a colour wheel, and more about choosing a contrast that speaks a different ‘language’ to the rest of your colour scheme. A playfully unexpected pastel in a muted palette, the receding neutral that calms down a riot of bold colour, or even a dark cloud on an otherwise sugary sweet scheme. ‘A poison colour can be so subtle you don’t notice it,’karie explains, ‘but the key is the difference it makes to the scheme because it is there.’
THE POISON COLOUR SHOULD BE UNEXPECTED AND SURPRISING – IT IS USUALLY A SMALLER OBJECT OR DETAIL
It’s an idea that informs the work of colour expert Dagny Thurmann-moe, a colour designer and creative director of KOI Colour Studio. ‘The role of the contrast colour in a KOI palette is to move the rest of the scheme out of balance,’dagny explains. ‘When building a palette, we often work with base colours, accent colours and a contrasting colour. While the base and accent colours usually follow traditional theoretical rules – and can be categorised as split complementary, triangular, analogue scheme and so on – the contrast colour is the rule breaker.’ That means if your contrast is complying to some element of colour theory in rounding out your palette, it’s probably not a proper poison.
So, once you’ve found your poison, how do you use it? For Dagny, following classic colour rules like the 60-30-10 split is the most effective way. ‘One or two base colours cover the largest surfaces, like walls, ceiling and floor, and will be about 60% of the surfaces you can see in the design,’ she explains. ‘The role of the accent colour is to enhance the base colour(s) in a harmonious way. In other words, they should not clash with the larger surfaces. The accent colours usually cover about 30% of the surfaces you can see in a room. There are usually five to nine accent colours in a strong palette.’
‘The contrast – or poison – colour in the scheme should be unexpected and surprising,’ Dagny explains. ‘It is usually a smaller object or detail and covers a maximum of 10% of the surfaces you can see in the design.’
‘A simple way to use the poison colour trick is with cushions,’ Karie adds. ‘If I have three cushions, two of them will work with the overall colour scheme and one will act as my poison. Something like a subdued terracotta linen cushion between two mustard velvet ones can look amazing. Don’t be afraid to use texture as a supplement to your poison, too.’
The poison colour is an idea that not only helps you veer away from less sophisticated colour pops as the contrast for your designs, but also feeds into the trend for expressive, unexpected palettes that are being pioneered by some of the world’s top designers. Select the ideal poison colour and the je ne sais quoi element you need to create a complex yet perfectly pitched room is within your reach.