This season big, bold and striking colours are the key themes running through paint trends. Gone are the days of sophisticated grey walls, it's time to be playful with your colour choices.
Going bold with deep colours on your walls or colour-drenching a room in one shade is a trend that can stand the test of time when done with care. For example that could be balancing a pastel scheme with wood accents or layering different materials for a softer finish.
For more tips and tricks, we've enlisted Charlotte Boyd a freelance interiors writer and stylist, who has been creating content for some of the top interiors magazines, and brands for over 20 years, to share her failsafe tips on how to choose and style the striking colour trend in your home without fear.
1. Balance with neutrals
Incorporating natural materials, such as wood or sisal, and blocks of neutral shades will offset the impact of a bold colour, softening the look and adding warmth, making the scheme more relaxed and liveable. For example you can soften a vivid orange glossy feature wall with tactile bouclé upholstery in creamy hues.
Also don’t forget the impact real plants and green foliage can have in a strong-coloured scheme.
2. Consider the finish
As well as the colour you are adding to a space, think about the finish and texture; a flat matt forest green wall will have a very different look and effect to a glossy one, which will reflect light and add a dynamic feel to the space.
In a colour-saturated room, use contrasting textures, such as wood, to add visual interest.
3. Make it monochrome
Decorating with varying tones of one colour, and taking it over the walls, woodwork, tiles, even the ceiling may seem like a brave move, but actually it has the effect of creating a calm and serene scheme. It can also make a small space feel bigger and more exciting – perfect for hallways, bijou bedrooms and bathrooms.
Go bold on both walls and ceilings, taking the same warm tones onto the furniture, too. Rich shades such as berry and ochre together create a snug, cocooning space
4. Play with accents
You don’t have to commit to a whole room. Adding vivid highlights to a more muted base can be a less scary way to experiment with colour. For example, you could paint a chimney breast, feature wall or the door frames in a standout shade, or incorporate a daring colour via soft furnishings, such as throws and lampshades.
Alternatively, use wide bands of complementary pastel hues to pick out separate areas of a wall.
5. Colour drench a bedroom
Colour-drenching is perfect for a bedroom idea; by painting everything the same shade, you avoid any harsh contrasts and can add further character with a variety of textures.
Once you start playing around with the colour trend you won't be able to stop.
