How many times have you thought about being a bit more adventurous with colour in your home, but always end up defaulting back to white or magnolia? If so, it's most likely because you are too worried about making a statement with colour (or worse, trying but getting it wrong!) or are suffering some kind of option paralysis from having millions of colours to choose from.
This is where Dulux can help. Register at Dulux.co.uk and create your own project folder where inspiration is on offer, showing you this season's trends, giving you some great ideas for your home colour scheme and providing examples of perfect matches and tips on how to achieve the look.
Trends for 2008 include:
Hope: a palette of gentle shades of white, grey and slate, used in a mix of matt and gloss, are layered to create texture and depth, adding luminosity and vitality to a room.
Envy: splashes of bold and metallic colours - gold, bronze, azure - used against dramatic backdrops like black, grey or pearl, create a mood of playful opulence, even decadence.
Reinvent: pastels and rich retro colours are used to capture a joyfully upbeat mood signalling revival and reinvention, yet done in a humorous fashion, both fun and funky.
Nurture: fleshy, earthy, comforting tones combined with chocolates and reds move femininity away from the girly into the realm of the sensual, seductive and sophisticated.
Be inspired
We associate colour with feelings, aspirations, space and environment. Take your inspiration from all around you. A walk down a street or through a park may give you ideas from the simplest of things: the contrasting maroons and oranges on weathered, broken bricks or the subtle variances in the green foliage of a plant or tree. This activity is designed to make you think about how colour forms our landscape and to give you hints and ideas, so take a camera with you and document what you find.
Tip: Create a moodboard Used by any designer worth their salt, a moodboard is your muse for any project, acting as somewhere to keep all your favourite images and little bits of inspiration which will help you visualise your project from the start. Dulux.co.uk allows you to keep a scrapbook of images, colours and ideas as you explore the site which you can return to at any time.
Be moody
Colour affects our mood and how we react to the space we are in, so it is important to judge where and how to use it, while still making sure your own personality and sense of style comes through. For example, reds and oranges resonate with fire, passion and sensuality and are vibrant and exciting; blues are cooler, calmer and refreshingly clean; yellows are uplifting, confident and create light; greens are earthy and natural, the colour of balance and harmony; purples and violets are lush and opulent, spiritual yet glamorous.
Tip: Explore colour moods Subtle changes in tint can change a colour from one mood to another. The Dulux website has handy colour palettes, separated into four moods: Rich, Fresh, Warm and Calm. Use these to help you understand how tone and tint can change the feel of your environment.
Create the effect
Before you begin, take time to think about the room you are styling, how you will use it and how much light it receives. Ask yourself what kind of feeling you wish to create in this space? For example, vibrant colours can add some much-needed excitement to a little-used room; but be careful in places where you spend more time: too much can be overbearing and distracting. Darker tones will make a room feel smaller - avoid in small spaces, but use to help larger rooms feel more intimate. Small rooms with limited light can be uplifted by lighter shades of colour, creating a more spacious environment.
Tip: Natural versus artificial light In rooms with little natural light, bear in mind how artificial lighting will slightly affect your colour choices. Colours that are bright and vivacious as the sun streams through the windows may look darker in the yellowish glow of a domestic light bulb. Delicate tones may also get lost in the glare of sunlight, which can wash them out, so think about how and when you will be using each space. Order free colour swatches from Dulux.co.uk and pick your shade accordingly.
Perfect matches
Colour is also about context. We see colours differently depending on what they are placed next to. Contrasting colours will make them more visible, and are best used to draw attention to a particular area or feature, while harmonising colours with similar tones create a calm and measured atmosphere which is both welcoming and relaxing. To create a stress free colour scheme, look to the Dulux colour co-ordination system where colours are separated out into 4 moods. Choosing two or three colours from any one mood will guarantee they work together.
Tip: Try before you buy Upload a photo of your room to Dulux.co.uk and use the innovative mouse painter tool to see how different colours and tones will look in your room. This is a perfect opportunity to decide if a contrasting or harmonising scheme is right for this space and how your colour choices will fit with your fittings and fixtures.
Finishing touch
Think about your surfaces and the type of paint you will need to use, either a matt, soft sheen or silk finish. Certain paint types work better than others, depending on the surface. Matt is the most contemporary finish and is good for interior walls as it helps to hide imperfections, whereas silk will serve to enhance them.
Tip: Get expert advice If you have spent time putting together the perfect colour scheme for your project then you don't want to ruin the effect with poor application. Visit Dulux.co.uk where you can find brilliant tips on the correct type of paint to use, as well as the correct type of brush and how to prepare your surfaces. There's also access to a useful FAQ, as well as a hotline direct to the Dulux colour studio which can answer any questions directly.
To see the latest trends from Dulux, click here.
