Thursday, May 9, 2013

How to Choose the Right Colour For Your Room

By Anita Hale


Choosing a colour scheme is the most fundamental part of interior design. It may sound easy, but I cannot emphasis enough how important it is. Your colour scheme will determine the entire look and feel of your room. Your soft furnishings should take their cue from this scheme and not the other way around.

So what is actually involved in selecting a colour scheme? Well, first of all it is important not to fall into the trap of just using your favourite colours. Interior design is about making the best use of the space in your room. You must think about what you will be using the room for. All of this will guide you to making the right choices.

Once you know what your room is to be used for you need to look at the light sources. Pay close attention to the natural light coming into the room. What direction is this light coming from? What areas are lacking in natural light? These questions will help you establish whether you need warm colours, cool colours or neutrals.

Let's have a look at this concept of natural light more thoroughly. To begin with, the optimum amount of light any room can get would be one that faces east to west. This is because the room would benefit from a rising and setting sun. Should your room face in this direction then you should think about employing a neutral colour scheme. The neutrals would ensure that the colour never fights with the natural light. Instead, the walls would act as a canvas for the sunshine to reflect off and thus lighten your room. However, you can add splashes of colour through your soft furnishings.

South facing rooms will also get a lot of sunshine. In this instance, you might want to think about a cooler colour scheme to counterbalance the light. Go for shades of blue and lilac or a neutral taupe or beige.

A north facing room obviously has the reverse issue. This room needs colour to warm it up because it will receive very little natural light. Oranges, reds, pinks and yellows are all potential options. It really comes down to just how much light the room gets and how bold you want to be!

Lastly, it's important to consider the furniture you want to use in your room. This must also work in balance with your scheme. The last thing anyone wants to do it paint their walls one colour and find it clashes with their beautiful sofa! Make sure your colour scheme balances these furnishings and the light. This will help create the perfect atmosphere for your room.




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