Gone are the days of boring colours. Now is the time
to splurge on interesting hues for your home for that touch of magic, writes Bindu Gopal Rao.
If there is one thing that defines decor in a sense, it has to be colour. Adding elements of colour can dramatically change how a space actually looks. If you are wondering how you can use colour to give your home a trendy makeover, read on.
Colour check
The colour making waves this year is radiant orchid. The other top colours that are trending are cayenne, dazzling blue, placid blue, sand, violet tulip, hemlock and paloma. “It’s all about neutral and muted tones that don’t overbear the senses. The last thing you would want is to have heavy tones overwhelming your senses as that makes the room look dull and not inviting,” says Divyan Gupta, Founder & CEO, Art&Decors.com.
“To start with walls, a perfect corner in the house can be painted with a vibrant colour that goes perfectly with the decor of your house,” opines Amrit Borkakoty, Proprietor, Serenity Blissful Living.
Lighter colours should be used in small rooms or areas to enhance and brighten up the room.
“The room looks bigger and brighter. Darker colours should be used keeping enough source of lighting in the room, otherwise the room will look dull and dim,” says Shivali Rajpal, Interior Designer (Projects), Kanu Kitchen Kulture Pvt. Ltd.
Tangerine hues, vertigo, glorious sunset are dark colours that give the space a dynamic look, make the space look warm, and also give an intimate appearance. The trends that are seen in home decor are non-metallic finishes which are minimalistic, elegant and are available with subtle artistic, geometric or trendy patterns. These finishes are available in gold, silver and bronze shades.
“Radiant green being the colour of the year 2014, it has a deep and luxuriant jewel-like tone and refreshes our senses, bringing about a feeling of balance and harmony. It is a colour of renewal and rejuvenation, which is important in today’s stressful life,” says Anuj Jain, Director, Sales & Marketing (Decorative), Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd.Different colours are associated with different moods and meanings.
For instance, blue is associated with relaxation, red with energy, and yellow with cheerfulness. Small pops of colour set against neutral colours really make your home different and ups the glam quotient.
Do it right
Says Radhika Khaitan Mittal, Co-Director, WorkshopQ, “A bright yellow lamp, set against a grey wall, really brings out the yellow of the lamp. You can also use an interesting piece of colourful furniture against a plain white wall or colourful cushions on a white sofa to bring out the colours effectively.”
Again, different parts of a home need different colours. Each room serves a purpose, and the time one spends in that space affects their mood.
“For bedroom and living room, colours ranging from soft hues, power blues, pista green and soft beige can be used, and for formal areas like the main drawing room, one can use soft tones of metallic hues that add to the relaxed appeal of a living space,” opines Anju Kumar, artist and interior designer. As far as the kitchen is concerned, pastel shades are preferable.
“Try not to use too many colours if you’re going to be painting rooms differently. Try to choose four to six colours for the entire home and stick with them, otherwise it can be a bit dizzying. If you live in a small home, try not to use more than four. If you use too many colours, your home will start to look cluttered and complicated,” explains Vandana Khosla, Founder-Director, Elvy.
Bathrooms are usually the smallest rooms of the house, but also the most frequently used. “Calm colours like shades of blue, chrome yellow and white should be a part of the bathroom. Breathe new life into your bathroom by simple yet stylish solutions. Acid green is a very popular colour, and also more energising than your blue spectrums,” says Jason Russell, Director, Newform India Pvt. Ltd.
“If you are a risk-taker, go for pink for a romantic ambience or attention-grabbing fuchsia for your bedroom walls with a few bright-orange leaves painted,” says Sagharica Sawhney, Managing Director, SJImpex. If serenity is what you want in your home, then create a mix of white, cream and peach shades.
“Add a touch of gold to this divine colour palette to glam up the setting. For those who find soft colours very tame, playing with monochromatic colour schemes and patterns are the new style statements for your home,” advises Ashish Dhingra, MD, Obsessions.
Unlimited ideas
While choosing colours, make sure they reflect your personality. “If your space starts to feel mundane with just three colours, try using the same colours but in a different pattern, texture, sheen or shade. Strike a balance of warm and cool colours. For example, balance a bold, cool colour like cobalt blue with warm sunny yellow and soft lime green, advises Deepak Kapoor, Managing Director, Kapoor Light.Life.Style. Soft, muted colours and simple patterns reduce visual weight and lend a lighter feel to a space, and hence best-suited for smaller rooms. Bold patterns and saturated colours will add visual weight and can help to ground larger rooms.
“A good way to unify the different rooms of your house is to use the same colour on all the walls. If you are fond of using different colours on your walls, then make sure they match tone-wise. It’s best to avoid any clashing colours even if they are in different ends of the house,” says Parushni Aggarwal, Owner & Creative Director, Studio Creo. Never pick the colour first. In fact, it must be one of the last things you must pick. “One must keep the transition of colours from room to room in mind and consider the home as a whole. Even if it’s a small apartment, transitioning colour from one room to the next can be tricky. Team metallic colours sensitively with neutral colours,” advises Anjum Jung, Morph Design Company.
Kapil Razdan, Director, Arquite adds, “Colour blocking gives an interesting effect to the place. A dash of colour added in the form of printed fabrics in curtains, chairs or rugs can be used to accent the space beautifully.”
Colours like crushed strawberry, pink and crushed rose work well for drama. “The idea is to use these colours as bold and solid,” explains Arun Bhawsingka, CEO, Creative Portico Pvt. Ltd.
Combinations galore
Colours, if used in combinations, look different, artistic and innovative. “The latest in colour trends for this season is multi- colour mixing. Mixing of two or three colours and accentuating it with a contrasting neutral tone looks stunning. In the same way, a coat of neon-like orange, highlighted by a neutral shade like beige gives the room a new, fresh look,” says Anjali Goel, CEO, LA Sorogeeka.
“Usage of metal colours like silver, gold and copper in the living room gives a traditional look and also enhances the decor. For example, combination of white with metallic blue is a fresh and interesting colour combination for the walls of a living room,” says Amarjit Singh, CEO, Intec India Ltd.
Colour mixing is also important. “For instance, if the walls are white in a kitchen and there is a crockery stand made of glass, a collection of red mugs on the stand would enhance the beauty of the entire kitchen. Every component and its respective colours augment the entire appeal of the room,” says Deepak Dahiya, Founder, Home Decors-Keep it Simple.
Blending colours in your decor is quite easy. “You just need to know how to balance them. Green can very well become a part of your furniture upholstery and crockery. White can be a neutraliser to complement green through vases, statues and even wall accents like a white frame,” explains Vikram Chopra, CEO & Co-founder, Fabfurnish.com.
“The colour harmonies you choose for the colour scheme of a home depend on several factors like what mood or style a person wants, the lifestyle of the family members, the function, or the way the occupants will use the room, the items in the room, and the room’s location.” says Maspar Designer, Maspar Industries Pvt Ltd.
Trend alert Grey was a rage a few years back, but it has come back in style in a new shade – paloma — which is a softer shade of grey. “This colour works well with silver, sand and turquoise. A soft paloma can help create depth in a dining room above the chair rail, and a dark shade below. This expands your space and visually raises the ceilings up a bit,” says Rajkumar Jain, Director, Anemos Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd.
“For flooring, reds are back in vogue. People really like a nice red floor in merbau, sapele and cherry which gives a rich look. Walls are painted in lighter hues with one dark wall to offset the same,” says Gaurav Saraf, Joint Managing Director, Square Foot. Some colours are naturally more versatile than others.
“A blue chair will go well with lots of other colours and will give you the flexibility to change your palette without changing the chairs. Once you’ve chosen your colour palette, select fabrics and rugs first, then you can choose a colour which works with the room as a whole,” explains Megha Agarwal, Chief Merchandising Officer, ArtisanGilt.com.
Says a spokesperson from Cocoon fine rugs, “As we transition from spring to summer, when people were mostly opting for bright, vibrant rugs, we see a gradual shift towards a preference for more subtle, elegant rugs. Rugs with blues and greys as the main colour are very popular.”
While choosing or playing with colours, keep in mind that every colour has its own psychological effect. “They influence one’s feelings and mood ranging from calmness to rage and agitation. Whenever you use any colour, just remember to use it in the flow, striking a harmony from light to bright,” advises Kritika Mahindra, Co-Founder, Art on the wall.