Hans Blomquist - In the Mood for Colour: Perfect palettes for creative interiors

INTRODUCTION

When it comes to colour and how to work with it, there are quite a few self-designated experts around who are full of rules and regulations about which shades to choose, how to work with them, which ones can be combined and so on. Trust me when I say that theres no right or wrong when it comes to choosing colours. Only you are qualified to decide what suits you best.

It might sound easy for me to say this as I am an interiors stylist and, during the course of my job, have learnt how best to decorate rooms to create a particular effect. Well, thanks to my experience, I can tell you that creating a scheme you love is not as hard as you might think. But you do have to be brave enough to trust your instincts, go for what you like and put it together in your own way. As with so much in life, confidence is the key the confidence to choose colours you love. Many of us are timid when it comes to colour choices, but if you compromise you may regret it. Sometimes its hard to be brave but the good news is that its only paint if you hate it, you can paint over it again!

There are a few things to bear in mind. Consider the natural light in your home. Northern light is cool and blue so can make a space look cold and stark. Darker, richer shades work well in this sort of light. Southern light is golden and bright and makes almost any colour look good, but be warned that whites can look creamy and greys turn to beige. I always use a tester pot on a piece of lining paper to get a good idea of the end result.