  Orange is one of the must-have colours for homes this year and beyond, says interior designer Robin Siegerman. (photo: Sieguzi Interior Designs)
|
After more than a decade of interiors that were predominantly beige on beige on beige, colour in homes is making a comeback in a bold, beautiful way.
It’s no accident that advertising agencies and manufacturers pay close attention to the emotional responses people have to colour. That information is used to great effect to motivate and influence us in myriad ways.
There are some people who find the world too stimulating and so crave a neutral interior in which to recharge their mental batteries. But according to non-scientific information acquired in my 17 years as a residential interior designer, most people feel better when surrounded with some colour.
The issue is often one of not knowing what colours to pick, so the default may be beige, which is perceived as being “safe.” The problem is, unless it is skilfully employed, a monochromatically neutral interior, while safe, can be boring and becomes the opposite of comforting as the occupants struggle to identify the cause of their dis-ease.
Soothe the soul with colour
Some of the must-have colours that will be featured in homes in-the-know this year and beyond are turquoise, purple, orange, yellow, green and grey, with shots of black and metallics.
Turquoise was declared colour of the year, according to the Pantone Colour Institute, an internationally recognized authority on colour and a provider of colour systems.
Not surprising, really. Turquoise is a combination of two colours: blue, which inspires feelings of tranquility, and green, which we associate with nature and energy (not to mention money). The result is a colour that dominates fantasies of sea and sky in tropical playgrounds and to which most people respond positively, whether male or female, in both fashion and interiors.
In the North American native cultures, turquoise has positive spiritual references, and the stone is prominently featured in jewellery. It is believed to protect and bless those that wear it and provide energy, wisdom and serenity. Those are the very attributes that the colours blue and green are shown to arouse, as demonstrated in many psychological studies.
Too much of any colour can be overpowering, though. Strong colours are best used as accents – unless you really live with gusto.
Bring home the sun and the bling
Yellow is a stimulating colour that we associate with the sun. The brain actually releases more of the “happy hormone” serotonin when one is surrounded by it. But beware – yellow is tricky. Although it is one of three primary colours from which all other colours are mixed, a true primary yellow is usually too intense to be used as anything but an accent. Too much of it can make people irritable and combative. Adding white softens it and makes it more liveable. Typically, the more white mixed with yellow, the more of it you can use in your home without feeling overwhelmed.
Adding metallics and mirror can bring a bit of glamour and sparkle to a room, but too much can be garish. A mirror that reflects something ugly is ugly times two.
All that being said, go forth and use colour!
Robin Siegerman is a Registered Interior Designer and Certified Kitchen Designer. She was a presenter at the 2010 International Home & Garden Show.
