Why colour?

“Why are you so interested in paint colours? What’s so bad about just having white or grey everywhere?”

This is the question that was recently put to me. And it’s a good question! Why all the obsession with choosing the right colours for our home interiors – what’s wrong with the neutrals? Well, the short answer is nothing! Nothing’s wrong with choosing whites or greys – if you like them and they really work for you in your home. But for

many, we reach for those paint tins because of habit, or we don’t know where else to begin with choosing a different colour.

I want to challenge that thinking. There is a whole world of colour out there! But it’s far from simple. I can’t just give you a magic formula and say that green works best in dining rooms, yellow in kitchens and blue in bedrooms. That’s because we all respond to colours in different ways. It is such a personal thing. So I might see a particular shade of green as cosy and relaxing, but someone else might find it much too dark and draining. That’s where really exploring your own personality and style comes in to play.

I’m sure many will have heard of colour consultants who will advise you on the colours to wear to bring out the best of your skin tone, eye colour and hair colouring. Well, a similar principle applies when we think about using colour in our homes. Get it wrong and your home could leave you feeling flat, unmotivated and unable to relax, but get it right, and your home will support your personality and be a place where you can relax and feel cosy, or feel energised and motivated, depending on the room and its function.   

So to go back to the original question, ‘Why use colour?’ The answer is because using colour makes us feel good! Picking different colours for different rooms and using them carefully and with consideration will make our homes feel wonderful.