Choosing a House Colour Scheme

 
living room
 

Choosing paint colours can feel a bit confusing, especially when you are faced with a hundred shades of grey and taupe. Equally it can be a fine balance to create an interesting and vibrant look, without going overboard. Colour has a huge effect on the atmosphere of a space and how it makes someone feel. How you go about choosing a decorating colour palette for your house can depend on the type of property you are dealing with and your reason for decorating. Here we look at different approaches to choosing colour according to your home’s needs.

Home colour scheme basics

First of all ask yourself: How do you want the room to feel? Maybe you want the bedroom to be relaxing and peaceful, or perhaps you want your living room to feel sophisticated and stylish, and your kitchen to feel inviting and clean? Then think about what colours you associate with those feelings. Think about the colours that you like and that you are naturally drawn to. If you choose colours that you like, it follows that you will want to spend more time in rooms decorated in those colours.

Build a decorating colour palette of no more than five colours for the whole property, choosing paint colours that will mix and match well together in different rooms. This way your look will remain cohesive throughout the home. It is likely that most of these colours will be fairly neutral tones that can be used for walls and larger areas, but add in some brighter colour options too. Pantone’s colour of the year for 2019 is called Living Coral – a vibrant orangey pink that is fun and dramatic. While many people would shy away from using this extensively in their décor, it could work well as a colour pop for example on cushions or a lamp, vase or tableware.

Modern home colour schemes

As you move through the different rooms in your house, draw from your colour palette. In some rooms you might want a lighter, softer look, whereas in other spaces you might want something more dramatic. For each room, separate the colour scheme into three parts: its primary colour, which is the most dominant colour in the room; its secondary colour, which covers smaller components such as some of the furniture or perhaps the woodwork or flooring; and its accent colours, which are the colours used for the accessories. This kind of separation just serves as a guideline of course, but can really help you as you choose furnishings and paint.

Colours for home staging

Staging a property to let or sell is about showing it off in its best light and making it look welcoming and attractive. It needs to appeal to as many people as possible so you should go for a look that is stylish but neutral, and without slavishly following fashions or being too ‘out there’. Opt for a palette of neutral colours rather than ones that make a statement. You may like bold colours on your walls, but it may put potential buyers off if they don’t share your tastes. Done right, home staging is about helping the would-be buyer or tenant imagine what the space would look like if they lived there. Complete the look by renting furniture to match your neutral colour scheme to create an inviting space that makes the right first impression.

Colours for a rented home

If you are living in a rental home, you probably won’t have much say in the colour scheme and the decor may not be a colour you would have chosen for yourself. More often than not though what you are faced with is something a bit plain and characterless. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry. Adding a splash of colour is an easy way to personalise any apartment. If it is a small space however, too many colours can look too busy and make it appear smaller, so go for the less is more approach. If your lease does not allow you to paint or decorate, consider temporary wallpaper or transfers or introduce colour through your soft furnishings such cushions, a rug or bed linen. Check out some of our colourful items of furniture available for rent, such as this sunny yellow table or this arty blue rug.