You may have a favourite colour, but deciding on a colour palette for your interior can be more of a challenge. Not every interior will suit the colour you’re typically drawn too and while a colour palette may look great in a magazine, it may not translate so well in your space.
Choose a colour palette to suit your space
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Before you head to your local paint specialist for a collection of paint chips, take the time to analyse your space and its current décor. You want your colour palette to work with the bones of your interior. If you have a small room, perhaps you want to emphasise the tight proportions by heading for moodier, darker tones.
Consider the natural light that enters the room and how the feeling of the space changes throughout the day. Take in account of what you’re going to use the room for. Is it a space to relax with family or is it the hub of the home and a hive of activity?
If you’re lucky to have a space with architectural features like a fireplace or a decorative ceiling, think about a colour palette that can highlight these. Or perhaps you have a feature you’d prefer to live without, so disguising and drawing the eye away from these elements will become your challenge.
Consider your furniture when choosing a colour palette
Urban Rhythm's Jasper Sofa
Over the years, you’ve no doubt collected different pieces of furniture of various eras or styles. Perhaps you’re cherishing a couple of pieces handed down through the family or you simply can’t part ways with your first dining setting.
For a colour palette to working within an interior, you need to take in account your existing furniture. If you have upholstered furniture, are there colours in the fabric you can draw out to inspire your scheme? Maybe the timbers of your dining table or cabinetry will rule out particular tones that material will clash with.
Seek inspiration away from Pinterest and magazines
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Pinterest and Houzz are great online sources to gather inspiration, particularly when it comes to interior colour palettes. Magazines are also great resources to build a scrapbook of ideas. But unfortunately, whether it’s on the screen or printed media, the colours don’t translate as well in real life.
Instead, seek inspiration within your own home. Have a look at your furniture or your favourite soft furnishings like rugs, cushions or throws. Venture into your closet to look at your clothes, shoes or jewellery to see if there are any colours you’re particularly drawn to that may inspiration a colour combination.
If you’re staring at an empty space or struggling to find any inspiration at home, look for inspiration outside of your immediate surrounds. Take a walk down the beach, at a park or through the city. You may be surprised at how textures, patterns and colours can produce a light bulb moment and give you the starting point for your interior scheme.
Create a real mood board
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While online mood boards and your folder of magazine cuttings and brochures can be helpful in decorating your interior, there’s nothing quite like the real thing. Fabric swatches and material samples laid out on your dining table or on a rectangular tray will help you build up and visualise your colour palette.
Think samples of timbers, tiles or rugs. Incorporate fittings like a door handle and fabrics from upholstered furniture, bedlinen or drapery. Then there are the smaller personal items like your favourite mug, a scarf or painting your child or grandchild gave you. All these elements laid out together helps you curate a colour palette and change it up as your design evolves.
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