Colourful sanitaryware – here to stay or a washout?

After visiting the gorgeous stand of Kast Concrete Basins at Decorex 2024 earlier this week it got me thinking about the new trend in none-white sanitaryware for residential bathrooms.

After an insightful discussion at the Design Talks stage on Colour Trends and Sustainability – Can the Two Co-Exist? Hosted by the brilliant Karen Haller it did get me pondering how this current trend will be perceived in, say, 10 years’ time. Will the Gen Z’s spearheading this current appetite for colourful sinks and baths view them with the same disdain Generation Y thought of the avocado or salmon pink suites beloved of the baby boomers in the future? Is all this thoughtful, crafted design set to fill skips or is it here to stay?

I suppose the trend is part of a wider appetite for people wanting to fully personalise their spaces, coupled with a fashion for nostalgia which has been on the rise since the pandemic. Blank, neutral spaces of the 90’s and noughties have given way to maximalist design aesthetics. The current generation are used to having personal service ‘on demand’, from watching TV to restaurant meals delivered to the door so it’s not that surprising that they are wanting the same from the built environment. When ‘inspiration’ is available in myriad forms 24/7 there is an air of possibility in mass residential interior design that perhaps wasn’t there before. We are seeing more playful design choices available in functional pieces, catering to that desire for something unusual – the instagrammable moment in people’s own homes.

I am all for people’s homes reflecting them and showing off personality – it’s a home after all, if that space can’t be personal then what’s the point? For me, whilst I appreciate the innovation in product design, I am still a fan of a shiny white set though, I am Gen Y after all. Although I must admit that in a previous life as an estate agent, when I came across a relic from the 70’s still in situ in a house, my viewers used to think I was mad when I said I’d keep it rather than replacing it – even better if the original tiles were still on the walls too! So maybe I’ll be looking to buy a 20’s house in 10 years’ time, desperate to find a tangerine orange basin tucked away in the ensuite.

I really hope that these gorgeous pieces of sanitaryware are treated as the investment pieces that they are though, manufacturing bathroom suites takes an awful lot of energy, I would hate to see all that going to waste and these items becoming the ‘fast fashion’ of the bathroom world.

The gorgeous basins on offer at Decorex are much more than just bright colours, they are innovative in form as well, creating tactile, beautiful and modern pieces of design and I’m sure these pieces will (wash)stand the test of time! (sorry).

Brutalism - a love/hate story

I had a flying visit to our nation’s capital last week and whilst dashing between appointments I walked across Waterloo Bridge (gotta get those steps in…plus the Tube was stiflingly hot!!) I took in the fantastic view down the Thames and made my way past the plethora of Brutalism that is the National Theatre, The Hayward Gallery and Royal Festival Hall and it roused that question in me which comes up from time to time…do I actually like Brutalist architecture?

At the risk of sounding like a Wikipedia entry, I guess I should explain Brutalism a little in case you’re not familiar. The term Brutalism was derived from the Swedish phrase nybrutalism meaning ‘new brutalism’ and was first used by British architect Alison Smithson when describing plans for the as-yet unbuilt Soho House designed by her and her husband Peter Smithson in 1953. The style was developed by architects such as the Smithson’s and the firm Chamberlain, Powell & Bon but there’s no doubt it was descended from the earlier Modernist movement. Brutalist buildings are usually constructed with recurring modular elements and use materials such as concrete, brick, glass, steel, and timber left in their raw form. Due to its low cost, raw concrete is most often used and left with rough surfaces featuring the ‘pattern’ of the wood shuttering from the forms for pouring the concrete. Examples of the style challenge traditional notions of what a building should look like with equal focus given to interior spaces as much as the exterior.

Anyway, back to my conflicting feelings! It occurs to me that I don’t mind Brutalism in large public buildings like the theatre, but I tend to dislike the swathes of 1960’s housing schemes up and down the country and I’m wondering why that is? Is it perhaps that there is a stigma attached to this type of housing; it’s almost certainly council or social housing – am I being a terrible snob and thinking it’s ‘good’ architecture when it’s something dedicated to the arts and ‘bad’ architecture when it’s homes? That doesn’t sound like me…overall, I think not! Is it because the lack of decoration works in a transitional space but less so where people require comfort and cosiness? Quite possibly. Clearly, I’d opened a can of worms and perhaps should’ve jumped on the Tube after all!

A couple of days into my pondering one of those lovely coincidences happened, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme has been inviting in guest editors and this week happened to be a group of residents from an estate in Bristol who call themselves the Friendly Neighbours. Their edit concerned themselves with how we can build housing that puts community first. It was particularly poignant that the housing estate centre’s around a 1960’s high-rise block of flats, in the Brutalist style. One of the guest editors stated that they have “created a community in spite of the architecture not because of it”.

Le Corbusier is possibly the most famous proponent of the Modernist architecture movement, not least because he wrote widely on the subject and famously coined the phrase ‘a house is a machine for living in’ and herein lies the rub. If we reduce our built environment down to just the necessary functions, it seems to cease to function on a human level. We’re a species that requires connection to place and each other, Modernism and later, Brutalism, removes all cultural identity associated with bespoke handmade buildings, replacing them with mass-produced machine-made products – the same everywhere – the Ikea of architectural style perhaps? (please don’t write in, I LOVE Ikea as much as the next person… good design, sound sustainability principles, fabulous hot dogs etc etc.)

Going back to our friend Le Corbusier, when creating the L’Esprit Nouveau Pavillion, a house, he wrote, "is a cell within the body of a city. The cell is made up of the vital elements which are the mechanics of a house...Decorative art is antistandardizational. Our pavilion will contain only standard things created by industry in factories and mass-produced, objects truly of the style of today...”

And yet that isn’t the whole story of Brutalism, if we turn our gaze internally, the interiors are equally sparse in terms of decoration, but also of barriers. Thanks to the construction techniques, interiors are often open-plan and light-filled. Large windows and a lack of load-bearing walls mean that spaces can be used flexibly and allow uninterrupted views outside – actually creating a connection to place. This is an element of Brutalism that I do like and answers the question of why I like it in large public buildings more than in housing – inside the concrete facades are enormous sweeping spaces that create a sense of scale and awe and perhaps this is less successful on a smaller scale.

Brutalism wasn’t just an architectural style; it was also a philosophy on the architectural approach to design. The Smithson’s described the movement as ‘an ethic not an aesthetic’ wanting to create ‘honest’ and ‘functional’ buildings that accommodated their purpose. We also cannot forget that construction techniques allowed the mass production of much-needed social housing.

If we go back to the Friendly Neighbours, however, there was clearly something missing which has meant the legacy is thousands of people living in Modernist/Brutalist estates with no sense of community, and in a lot of cases, allowing crime and deprivation to thrive. In the case of the Dove Street flats in Bristol, the issue was obvious – not one communal space was designed into the estate. During the pandemic, the lack of external communal space kickstarted the revolution, as it were, and a gardening club was established. Where once there was fly tipping there is now a community garden, derelict garages are now a football pitch and neighbours talk to each other, commune with each other, and children play together.

So perhaps the reason I dislike the architectural style in housing hasn’t anything to do with the architecture’s aesthetic at all but more to do with what that style has come to represent; quality modern homes built for those in housing need on estates that should have created wonderful new enclaves of communities in our cities that in reality produced places that feel separate and unfriendly; Le Corbusier’s “cells” reimagined into prison cells for the occupants. Or is that too dramatic? (I do have a tendency!)

The fact that in the not-too-distant past we had a social housing building program on a mass scale in and of itself seems remarkable to me. We need to be dramatic in the approach we take to social housing now more than ever if we’re going to address the housing crisis, so maybe we can learn from the pioneers of the Brutalist movement. Sustainability goes much further than green energy technology when it comes to housing and our homes. We as designers need to create spaces that not only function well but crucially are places where people actually want to live. Our housing estates need to foster community, allowing residents to forge connections with each other and the place they are in, that’s truly the only way to create sustainable buildings that stand the test of time. Perhaps no matter the aesthetic the place will then always look beautiful…

…now I’m just being an old romantic!

Five reasons to use an interior designer

If you’ve never used a designer before it can seem like a daunting prospect. I’ve listed my top five ways we can provide value to you as a customer

1. Buy your precious time back

   Even if you are awesome at designing and decorating your own spaces, do you really have that much time to do it? Hiring a professional designer will take care of everything for you, giving you the ultimate gift of spare time back - to relax or entertain friends in your beautifully designed space.

2. It could save you money

   It may seem a converse notion but spending money on hiring a designer could save you time and money by avoiding costly mistakes, keeping your projects on track and on budget. Working to specific timescales and budgets are the skills professional designers come with for which you will receive the benefit.

3. Knowledge is power

   With years of experience in creating interior spaces for a range of clients, your designer will come armed with the knowledge of what works for your customers and will interpret this in to a design that reflects who you are.

4. Bespoke, unique spaces are created

   Going it alone will often mean buying what’s available on the high street, hiring a designer will give you access to artisan makers of beautiful furniture, wallpapers, objects and art work meaning your space will be unique to you and your style.

5. Know what your space will look like before you start

   It can be scary embarking on a big renovation project but a designer can help you crystallise your ideas in to something that will not only look good but will work…and they can prove it! An interior designer can provide you with plans showing furniture layouts, 3D drawings of the proposed design and samples of finishes such as wallpaper, tiling and flooring; all meaning you have a brilliant concept of what the finished space will look like before you’ve even started.

So there you have it, a quick round up of some of the ways an interior designer can help you, but if you’re unsure if this is the right solution for you, feel free to get in touch and we can discuss your project. All initial consultations are free and there is no obligation to hire us at all. We also have a handy list of Frequently Asked Questions which may help.

Sustainable Design

With The Good Business Festival taking place in Liverpool this week it felt timely to think about sustainability in design and what that means to us here at The Looking Glass.

It has been on our minds at THG towers just recently as we are in the process of drafting our sustainability policy. Not an easy task as it turns out, as Kermit the Frog once put it, it’s not easy being green!

Whilst we endeavour to specify pieces that are made sustainably and from someone local, this isn’t practical for every project as each will have it’s own constraints of time and budget. With that in mind it’s clear we have to think wider about what sustainability means.

For us it means working with developers and housing providers who are building sustainable communities, not just houses. It means running a viable business that creates reliable jobs with fair wages to sustain incomes. It means using a ‘green bank’ for our transactions in hope that our money helps accelerate the shift to clean energy and wherever possible specifying items that are produced locally, helping to sustain our community.

You may be wondering what design choices you can make if you want to live more sustainably. The obvious place to start is to ask yourself if you need anything new at all. Is your furniture in working order and fit for purpose? Old pieces can be upcycled if you want to give them an to up to date look, furniture can be painted, couches can be reupholstered, lampshades can be re-covered. Before you head out spending your hard earned cash, it’s always worth considering if you need to! If you don’t have the time or skillset to upcycle yourself then have a look at who does and hire them. For a fraction of buying new you will have saved a piece from landfill, avoided more consumption of raw materials and energy in the making of a new piece and provided income to a local craftsperson – all in one go! We work with a local charity The Big Help Project on upcycling some of the donated furniture that ends up in their warehouse. Ahead of these items going in to their high street shops to be sold we give them a makeover, hopefully making them more appealing as a one-off item that will sell for a little extra than normal. Here’s a few examples below:

As an added bonus we used recycled paint from Painting Green for these projects – a wonderful initiative which collects old unused paint which is filtered and re-coloured to be sold as a new tin of paint at a fraction of the cost. This stops paint going to landfill and again means we are using what has already been made instead of manufacturing new paint. Recycled paint is available as emulsion and chalk furniture paint.

If you do need something new think about what you’re buying, is it good quality designed to last decades and made from sustainable sources? How far has it travelled to get to you? Is there a furniture maker nearby that you can spend your precious money with?

I think the main point to takeaway is to acknowledge that none of us are going to be able to make the most sustainable choice all of the time, but we can at least be mindful of the choices we are making, a small change here and there has got to help in the long run hasn’t it?

The Art of the Moodboard

Mood board/inspiration board/concept board – whatever you call ‘em they’re incredibly useful things and not just for designers.

I was introduced to the humble mood board at the very start of my design training at the tender age of 16 when I began my BTEC in Three-Dimensional Design; I was taught that it is the starting point of any design brief and indeed they have remained an integral part of my design process ever since. The times when I’ve got too big for my boots and thought I could skip this stage I inevitably headed down all kinds of Alice in Wonderland-esque rabbit holes from which I’ve had to crawl out of and start again.

So, what are they and how can you use them? The best way to describe them might be as a visual brain dump to help you organise your thoughts or ideas. They can be as simple as a page filled with images of sofas when trying to decide what to buy or something more wide-ranging such as a wall filled with what your aspirations are for that year. Basically it’s making something visual that resonates with you in a way that helps bring an idea to fruition - pretty cool eh?

The best part about a mood board is that you can create them in so many ways. The way I learnt all those many moons ago was as basic as you can get; get a load of magazines, flick through and cut-out any images that reflects what you’re trying to achieve. This could be a specific look, like a minimalist lounge for example, or it may be images of a holiday destination for a vision board. You then get a big bit of paper or cardboard (or even a cork message board) and stick your images together in a collage. Again, you can choose whatever form that takes; the images may all overlap in a higgledy piggledy fashion or it may be very structured and ordered. In some ways this analogue approach is the most ‘inconvenient’ but I still find this method the most creative and quite soothing in an increasingly digital world.

The digital methods are numerous and possibly endless but one of the easiest to pick up and run with is by using Canva. It’s free and they have a wealth of templates if you’re unsure where to start. The other quick to run with option is to use something like Pinterest. You can search for all the images you want and pin them to a board, the app then collates it all for you in one place which you can review and refine. You can make your boards private or choose to share them with people if you’re working on something with another person (wedding planning anyone?)

Digital options are such a convenient way of getting your ideas down quickly, I’ve often used them on my way home from a client meeting on the train when ideas from the brief are fresh in my head. Take a look below to see some of our concept boards created for clients:

So there you have it, if you’re stuck on what flowers to have on your table at Easter* then start a Pinterest board with all the images of flower arrangements you like and within 5 minutes I bet you will see a theme emerging – be it colour or shape or style and voilà your mood board has helped you solidify an idea to fruition!

*I realise this isn’t an issue in most households outside of mine and Hyacinth Bucket’s, it is a burden I have learnt to live with

Christmas decorations; Ignore the designer

This year I find myself sharing my tree with another and I will admit that the joy of being completely selfish regarding Christmas decorations was one of my favourite things about living alone. So I find myself needing to accommodate someone else’s precious Christmas memories in to my perfectly matching tree and I imagine I’m not alone. So how do you create a successful and tasteful exhibition of festivity at home whilst accommodating all yours (and everyone else’s) sentimental ornaments? In short; you don’t try! It’s your home and it’s your Christmas so it should reflect you and yours – do what makes you sublimely happy and to hell with what House Beautiful tells you (no offence, I dearly love House Beautiful!)

If, however, you are just about to get in the loft and bring the deccies down and want some pointers, here are a few things I try to do to help make it look (sort of) considered:

Tree placement

First thing’s first – where to put the tree. The hallway is a great option for a warm and welcoming entrance to your home if you have the space, it’s so nice on these dark and cold days to come home to that special glow of fairy lights. Put the lights on a timer so they come on just as you get home from work.

If like me your hallway doesn’t accommodate a tree you might want to consider the living room. My favourite thing is to switch the lights on as soon as I come down of a morning and drink my morning cuppa under fairy lights, it’s so indulgent somehow to have all the opulence of a Christmas tree, twinkly lights and sparkly ornaments in your living room that this is the spot for me. This does usually involve a small amount of furniture shifting and I like mine to be near the window so I can see it when I get home (as with the hallway option, put a timer on so they are not left on when not at home). Just remember before you start rearranging your living room to check where your plug sockets are and if you have enough available to not overload them by adding additional wattage.

Tree decorating

Lights:

If you have an artificial tree then make your life easier and get a pre lit one, it was the best investment I have ever made (relative to Christmas decorations, not in life in general) If you have a real tree and need to do the lights then these should be the first thing you put on the tree and don’t forget to keep turning them on as you go to check you are happy with the distribution of lights – there’s nothing worse than the dreaded dark spot when you’ve finished and have to take everything off and start again!

Tinsel:

I’m not a tinsel person (not that there’s anything wrong with tinsel – I just can’t stand the feel of it so I don’t put it on my tree as that would involve touching it) If you do partake in tinsel, put this on after the lights. I’d recommend getting different thicknesses of tinsel and use the thinner type near the top and the thicker type nearer the bottom, wrap it around in a spiral from top to bottom for an even distribution.

Baubles/ornaments:

If you need to accommodate some none matching items (as above) you can either dot them about and let them mingle in and around all the matching stuff or you can group together and make a feature of the story they tell. I’m of the grouping persuasion – I group vertically right down the front and centre of the tree; don’t worry too much about colour or texture…size is the key!

Balancing the look of the ornaments is fairly straightforward, just think of it as stacking blocks: put the largest baubles at the bottom and work your way up using ornaments of a decreasing size up to the top.

Tree toppers:

Angel or star? Well this really should be anything you like in my opinion - I have a big gold crown on the top of my tree and a friend of mine adorns the top of hers with a Dolly Parton angel. It’s your home, your Christmas and your tree, it should look like it!

Other decorations

I like to keep it simple outside of the tree – mainly because cleaning around a load ornaments in one of the busiest months of the year is too much of a task for me, but again if you want decorations in every room of the house then go for it. The quickest and simplest way to add Christmas sparkle is of course with fairy lights. You can even get some battery operated ones to add sparkle to your bathroom should you wish. Tinsel or a garland wrapped around the staircase or fireplace is always festive and if all else fails get the mulled wine going and the smell will instantly fill your home with Christmas cheer!

Merry Christmas everyone

Colour psychology

Choosing colours for our spaces can often seem daunting, what colours should we be choosing and why? Well the answer to the that is there isn’t one – it has to be right for you. As a starting point you can utilise the psychology of colour to help determine a palette for a space depending on what you want it to function as.

So what is colour psychology? In it’s basic interpretation it is the study of colours as a determinant on human behaviour. We also must consider that when people cite colour psychology they also probably mean colour symbolism i.e. the use of colour as a symbol in art or anthropology.

Studies on the subject varies widely but the most widely held emotional responses and associations to colour are:

Red

Often associated with love, passion, and lust. It can also be used to signify anger, danger or a warning.

Red in an interior is a bold choice. It is a great accent colour known to increase energy and appetite, therefore, is a good choice for a kitchen or dining room as it can also stimulate conversation.

Blue

Often symbolising serenity, stability, inspiration, trust, loyalty and wisdom.

Blue has a calming affect and is associated with reducing blood pressure so it is a great choice for an interior space. Various hues can have various outcomes stylistically: light powder blue will create calming and relaxing environments so are great for bedrooms, be aware that it can leave a room feeling cold if it doesn’t get a lot of natural daylight. Dark navy blues associated with knowledge can create sophisticated office spaces

Yellow

Often associated with sunshine, joy, happiness and intellect.

Yellow is great for hallways as it is a welcoming colour. Children often are drawn to yellow, therefore, it is a great choice for a nursery. Just ensure you get the right shade as it can be sickly or overpowering if too strong a hue.

Green

Most obviously used to represent nature, healing, or fertility

Green is the most restful colour on the eye and you can, therefore, use green in every room of the house. As it is a very relaxing colour any room where settling in is the aim of the game i.e. lounge or bedroom, it would be an ideal choice.

Pink

Pink is associated with softness, femininity, compassion, and love.

Using pink in a space can create a playful feminine look and is a good choice for bedrooms. To keep it from becoming saccharine pair with a darker bold colour or simply with white and keep lines clean and fresh. If you want to use a strong pink colour, keep it to a small room such as a WC or ensuite bathroom and pair with any metallic accent to make it feel luxe.   

Orange

Symbolises enthusiasm, creativity, success and encouragement.

As a bold colour orange is a great choice for an accent in most spaces where activity happens such as home office, dining rooms and hallways. Oranges are good for creating drama and warmth so work well in rooms that don’t attract much natural daylight.

Purple

Symbolises authority, sophistication and power.

Dark purples when matched with other bold choices such as gold represent luxury and sophistication so is a good choice for public rooms in your home such as sitting rooms. Lighter pastel versions like lavender have a restful quality so are a good choice particularly for guest bedrooms.

Working from Home

Hints & tips for still gaining a work/life balance

I have been working from home on and off for years and I do enjoy the freedom, I find the solitude very productive for me. That is not to say that it doesn’t present some challenges though; from finding the right place to work to how to switch off at the end of each day, but fear not there are things that can help.

I’ve never had a home office to work from – I just haven’t had the luxury of space to dedicate a whole room to work. This firstly presents the problem of switching modes – how do you get in to work mode in the spare room when looking at that picture you have been meaning to hang for three years? (Yes, I am one of life’s great procrastinators). Conversely how do you switch off from work mode and settle into home life when there’s no physical demarcation or commute to begin the mental switch off? Well here’s a couple of things I’ve learnt over the years that could help:

The ‘Work Box’

If you’re a home working Nomad like me with no specific, permanent home office it helps to go through the ritual of setting yourself up for the day to get in to work mode. Have a box (or cupboard if you have the space to spare) where all your work paraphernalia lives when not in use. Unpack each morning ready to start your day and at clocking off time make sure you put it all away, out of sight, out of mind.

If you do have a home office make a point of having a tidy down at the end of each day; file any paperwork away, take mugs to the kitchen etc. The basic principle is that by having an end of workday routine it should help you transition from work to home.

Work Mug

Anyone who’s ever worked in an office will know how territorial colleagues can get over their mug! When working from home all crockery is your usual ‘home’ stuff so you could try dedicating a mug as a work mug. Use this mug while ‘in the office’ and make sure you wash it up and pack away in the work box at the end of each day.

Choose the right spot

If you’re on the hunt for the best spot to set yourself up each day, my advice is to choose a place that already has activity going on in it, such as at the kitchen table. Try to avoid spaces you generally relax in, like the lounge or your bedroom, as this should make it easier to differentiate work time and home time each day.

Natural daylight is also an important factor in keeping you motivated. I once had an office set up in a loft space, and whilst it was great at getting me in to ‘work mode’ as I was separate from the rest of the house, I found myself constantly getting up and making drinks/pacing around the garden as I was missing daylight and couldn’t concentrate for long periods of time. Try and find a spot with a window, even better with a view to stop you feeling hemmed in. Of course, if you’re more of a night owl when it comes to working patterns then this is less of an issue for you and an office in the loft might be a good solution.

Keep it feeling fresh

How to keep your home feeling fresh when you can’t go out

With our homes being more important than ever to us during lockdown, how do we keep our sanctuaries feeling fresh when we can’t go out? Here’s a few things to try that could help:

Bring the outside in

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden with flowers, pick a few blooms and put them in a vase or an old jam jar in the house. Or you can pick up a bunch of flowers with your weekly shop if you don’t have any cutting flowers on hand. The changing colours, textures and smells should freshen up your space instantly. Buying fresh flowers can seem like an extravagance but it needn’t be, I recently bought two bunches of Gypsophila for around £3, those two bunches filled about 10 jam jars which I wrapped a single piece of ribbon around (that I had left over from Christmas presents) and placed around the house, they also lasted for around 3 weeks so even if you can’t get out to the shops very often this could be a good option to keeping your home feeling fresh

Old paint, new house

Dig out all that old leftover paint or tester pots from projects gone by and use it to upcycle an old forgotten or tired piece of furniture. Alternatively you can use it to create a bespoke piece of artwork for the home (the back of an old roll of wallpaper makes a great canvas if you’re short of paper). The bonus of this is that if the paint has been used in your house already, whatever you create is bound to match in with your colour scheme.

Have a shake up of the layout

Move sofas/tables around for a fresh configuration. If your space doesn’t allow your furniture to be moved, use the same principle but with smaller objects – go shopping around your home and repurpose pictures/vases from other rooms in a new place.

Picture this

Speaking of picture frames – now is a good time to get the old photos out, to reminisce and to use! Change the pictures in your frames for an instant refresh of any room.

Tidy, tidy, tidy

At a time when our homes are working harder than ever (home, office, school etc.) it can easily become a hot mess in no time. Spend a bit of time at the end of each day putting everything away – I promise that wine on the couch afterwards will taste much sweeter if you’re not facing a load of clutter.

I provide links purely for further information that may be of interest, I don’t receive any incentives or advertising revenue from any external links accessed from this website

Colour Theory

Colour theory is a wide ranging and much written about subject which you could easily spend months if not years researching (and you should if you are so inclined, it is a fascinating subject!) But if you are just looking for some basics to help you decide on a colour scheme for your home here are a few hints and tips to get you started.

First thing lets deal with the terminology around colours themselves, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary; you probably all learnt about these at some point in school so let’s dig out that knowledge and start putting it to practical use!

Primary Colours: Red, Yellow, Blue

Primary colours are the 3 pigment colours that cannot be mixed or formed by any combination of other colours. All other colours are derived from these 3 hues.

Secondary Colours: Orange, Green, Purple

These are the colours formed by mixing two of the Primary colours together (Red + Yellow = Orange, Yellow + Blue = Green, Blue + Red = Purple)

Tertiary Colours: Everything else!

These colours are formed by mixing a Primary colour with a Secondary colour

The colour wheel

Using the above categories of colours we can start to create some order out of them using a colour wheel or colour circle to help you form colour schemes. Sir Isaac Newton is credited with creating the first circular diagram of colours in 1666 – so it’s been around a while!

Begin a colour wheel by positioning primary hues equidistant from one another, then create a bridge between primaries using secondary and tertiary colours:

Primary Colours                Secondary Colours           Tertiary Colours

Using the colour wheel:

Analogous Colours: These are simply groups of colours that are side by side on a wheel. One colour will usually dominate and the others will sit harmoniously with it.

Complimentary Colours: These are colours that sit directly opposite each other on a colour wheel. These are usually used as accent colours generally in small quantities.

Triads - Triads form a triangle on the wheel, like the starting point of the wheel using the primary colours of yellow, blue and red; or any other combination such as orange, green and violet. These colours can also be used as accent colours, but they must be balanced. If not, they can overwhelm a room.

Monochromatic Colours - Keeping it simple, this is the use of only one colour, but in shades from dark to light, like navy to powder blue.

Cool and Warm Colours - Cool and warm colours can be used to create a mood in a room. Cool colours span the section of the wheel from purples through blues and greens. Warm colours span the section of the wheel from reds through to pinks oranges and yellows.

Non-Colours - Non-colours aren’t found on the colour wheel, however, they still play a very important role in interior design.  Non-colours are black, white and brown and derivatives thereof (greys/beiges etc.) These colours can either be used as background ‘scene setting’ colours for mood or to promote/reduce certain areas or can be used dramatically in monochrome. For example, if you want to disguise a problematic area allow it to fade into the background with a palette of non-colours as the backdrop to accent colours elsewhere.

Don’t forget to use the rules creatively, we don’t need to stick to them rigidly. For example, I have recently created a beautiful space using a combination of the above theories, using pink as the main colour with copper and green as the accents. Pink is a derivative of red which is opposite green on the wheel, therefore, these are complementary colours. As copper is a distant variant of orange it sits alongside pink on the wheel (moving from red through to yellow), therefore, is an analogous colour to the main backdrop of the space.

Now you know the rules you can go ahead and break them as you see fit!

For further reading on the subject of colour I highly recommend reading The Little Book of Colour by Karen Haller (her Insta is also worth a follow)

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