Discover your true colours the experts share their bold colour tricks - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Interiors Discover your true colours the experts share their bold colour tricks By You Magazine - September 26, 2021 Love bold tones and patterns, but too nervous to use them in your home? Fear not! Interiors editor Sally Cullen asks the experts to share their bright ideas. While many of us are happy to make a bold statement with a bright outfit or a patterned scarf, how many of us bring that colour confidence into our homes? Though a neutral palette can be sophisticated and soothing, if your heart soars at the sight of an unusual combination (red and pink, anyone?) why not go for it? Reassuringly, if you are keen to try the world of colour, there’s no need to dive in and decorate your whole room in a riot of shades, hoping for the best. Help is at hand in the form of two iconic British brands, Farrow & Ball and Liberty, which have collaborated to create a foolproof edit of timeless paint colours and complementary interiors fabrics. Joa Studholme, colour curator from Farrow & Ball, and Bryony Rae Sheridan, buying manager from Liberty, show us how to lose our inhibitions with their expert tips… Keep it subtle Consider the journey between rooms as an opportunity to add some unexpected colour. Be it the interior of an archway or a doorframe, it’s a subtle way to add depth and interest. Take your gallery wall to the next level and make your favourite piece of artwork really stand out by painting a block on the wall behind in a complementary hue: roughly six inches larger than the frame size is the sweet spot. A glass-fronted cabinet can be transformed by lining the doors with a statement fabric – and has the added benefit of concealing clutter. Jon Day Armchair, £935, sofa.com. Cushion cover, £35, conranshop.co.uk. Vases, £145 and £210, both designvintage.co.uk. Inner arch painted in Absolute Matt Emulsion in Arras, £48.50 for 2.5l, littlegreene.com. Sideboard, £425, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk. Anni Stripe linen (inside) in Garden Green, £128 per m, imogenheath.com. Lamp, £250, and dinner candleholder, £30, both roseandgrey.co.uk. Print by Nynne Rosenvinge, £76.72, and oak frame, £59.48, both theposterclub.com. Behind artwork painted in Chalk Paint in Amsterdam Green, £21.95, anniesloan.com. Vase, £250, oka.com/uk. Pot, £45, candelabra, £65, and framed print by Adam Watts, from £50, all artistsandobjects.com. Candles, £11.50 for two, conranshop.co.uk. Rug, £1,495, oka.com. Go for bold Painting woodwork such as skirting boards and shelving a contrasting shade to your walls is a great way to add colour without committing to a whole room. Experiment with combinations that make you happy, and don’t be afraid to break with convention by mixing and matching furniture elements in different tones. Jon Day From top, wall painted in Matt Emulsion in English Fire, from £14 for 2.5l, and Flat Emulsion in Satin Lining x ELLE Decoration, from £36 for 2.5l, crownpaints.co.uk. Colour basics ‘I start the process of decorating a room by making a list of everything I need to colour,’ says Farrow & Ball’s Joa Studholme. ‘I include all woodwork, ceiling and walls, and decorative elements such as shelving, furniture, fabrics and flooring. I use a mood board to layer colours and see how they sit together. Use the right proportions – there’s more wall than anything else. Think of each element as an ingredient in a recipe – they need careful balance to create the perfect dish. ‘Small amounts of colour or pattern can make a big difference – adding colour inside a cupboard or in the back of a dresser cannot fail to make you smile.’ ‘Like Joa, I use mood boards,’ says Liberty’s Bryony Rae Sheridan. ‘If you have existing pieces, use those as your foundation. I am often drawn to a colour or print as a starting point to layer against. ‘Don’t be afraid to have multiple options, and consider them over time – there is no point rushing. I always add accessories as I find them, as the ever-evolving space is part of the enjoyment. ‘Generally, smaller spaces can handle more intense colour and heavier patterns. Cushions are a great way to test prints in a new space before making larger-scale additions such as curtains.’ Keep it subtle If painting your walls feels like too much commitment, adding colour above a picture rail or on the ceiling will frame the room and emphasise its height. Try adding patterned fabric to your schemes. A frame and staple gun are all you need to create a showstopping piece of art full of gorgeous texture. Think about small areas that might benefit from a shot of colour. Surfaces within recesses and fireplaces are great places to introduce pretty tones. Jon Day Top of wall painted in Matt Emulsion in Terracotta Pot, and fireplace painted in Matt Emulsion in Tuscan Artichoke, both £45 for 2.5l, claybrookstudio.co.uk. Surface of shelf and inside fireplace painted in Chalk Paint in Antoinette, £21.95 for 1l, anniesloan.com. Inside frame: Cove linen in 008, £140 per m, fermoie.com. Jug, £55, oka.com. Dish, https://www.caravane.co.uk/products/bergayaplat. For a similar painting, try mediumroom.co.uk. Leaf decoration, £12, designvintage.co.uk. For a similar chair, try vinterior.co. Cushion cover, £35, conranshop.co.uk. Side table, £219, amara.com. Carafe, £39, and glass, £15, both hauslondon.com/collections/hay. Planter, £44, and bowl, £78, both designvintage.co.uk. Go for bold Green paint is taken up the wall and over the ceiling to create an intimate area that frames – and appears totally connected to – the garden beyond. The sofa fabric’s botanic detailing also reflects this. Jon Day Ceiling and facing wall painted in Modern Emulsion in Suffield Green, £53 for 2.5l, and wall on right painted in Modern Eggshell in Clunch, £73 for 2.5l, all farrow-ball.com. Wiltshire Blossom fabric in Lichen, £150 per m, libertylondon.com. Go for bold Painted tongue-and-groove panelling creates a vintage feel and can be added to give character to a room. Here, it goes perfectly with the curtain pattern, and both fabric and paint are shown off to their best set against the contrasting ceiling colour. Jon Day Cupboard doors painted in Pantalon, and walls in Sloe Blue, both Modern Eggshell finishes, £73 for 2.5l, and the ceiling is painted in Modern Emulsion in Clunch, £53 for 2.5l, all farrow-ball.com. Felix Raison linen in Lichen Bright, £140 per m, libertylondon.com. Keep it subtle A bookcase can be instantly revamped by painting the shelves a new hue – and taking the colour up to form a backdrop for accessories will make them stand out. Colour blocking can be a smart way to zone open-plan rooms. A rich swathe of navy helps make this reading nook feel more cosy. Basic sewing skills are all you need to make a tablecloth which will give a new lease of life to a side table. You can make up a few and switch them as you please. Jon Day Bookshelves painted in Matt in Green 05, £38 for 2.5l, lickhome.com. Top shelf: vase, £55, and bowl, £68 for three, both designvintage.co.uk; artwork, £400, emilyforgot.co.uk; for a similar plant, try conservatoryarchives.co.uk. Middle: jug, £55, oka.com; vase, £85, Sophie Alda, artistsandobjects.com, and bowls, £10.50 each, roseandgrey.co.uk. Bottom: vase, £100, conranshop.co.uk; print, £15, emilyforgot.co.uk; vase, £30, designvintage.co.uk, and striped vase, £5, oka.com. On floor: storage baskets, £65 and £55, both conranshop.co.uk. Rug, £1,695, oka.com. Armchair, £2,965, pinchdesign.com. Pendant light, £129, lightsandlamps.com. Side table covered in Garden Party Olive linen, £23 per m, merchantandmills.com. On table: napkin, £12.50, conranshop.co.uk; cup, £34, Brutes Ceramics, artistsandobjects.com, and vase, stylist’s own. Wall decorated in Mixing Matt in Breton Blue, £31.09 for 2.5l, dulux.co.uk. Styling: Amy Neason RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Aldi s pumpkin-shaped casserole dish is all we want for Halloween 7 of the best money-saving kitchen gadgets to invest in this winter Aldi has restocked miniature velvet chairs and sofas for your dog DON' T MISS Fiona Bruce Sometimes I struggle not to cry November 14, 2021 17 beautiful 2021 diaries to help you to look forward to December 4, 2020 Why women leave men for women What’ s fuelling the rise of April 28, 2019 Hollywood veteran Laura Linney on plastic surgery friendship and her stellar July 3, 2017 You can shop the khaki jumpsuit from Holly Willoughby’ s new M& S July 17, 2019 The secrets and lies behind this happy family photo April 11, 2021 It’ s cocktail hour Olly Smith’ s cocktail recipes and Eleanor Maidment s canapé November 14, 2021 BBC One has revealed its Christmas TV schedule and there’ s lots December 2, 2020 YOU Beauty Box August Reviews August 1, 2017 Rome has been named the cheapest major city to visit in August 7, 2019 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved