Common Design Dilemmas #1: How to create a cohesive colour scheme
There are certain issues that come up time and again, so I have compiled some creative solutions to the questions I'm asked most often. We'll tackle them one by one.
When I host my monthly Drop-in Design Clinic for paid subscribers, there are some big questions that always turn up: how to choose colours, and how to find the best layout. These are usually followed by how to hide the TV, and what’s the best way to cover up ugly tiles. Then there are questions about whether painting ceilings in something other than white will raise or lower them, how to tackle a lack of storage or a deficit of natural light and, actually, lighting in general.
Now my Design Clinic is about responding specifically to the person asking the question, but given that many of the themes are so constant I thought it would be a good idea to work my way through them under a headline that means you can easily find them from the archive later on. I was going to do this as a single post, then it became a two-parter and, as I started writing, I realised that in order to give you the most comprehensive answers, we need space to develop the topics, so we’re going one by one.
Let’s start with the most common:
HOW DO I CREATE A COHESIVE COLOUR SCHEME FOR MY HOME?
This doesn’t mean painting every room the same colour, and nor does it mean you can’t paint each one differently. Rather, it’s about coming up with a palette that pleases you and using it in different ways all around the house so there is a link - a red thread, as it’s also known – that brings everything together. Doing this creates a home, rather than a series of rooms.
To find your colours, start by looking around you - at your clothes, the pictures on your wall and any fabrics, from shirts to cushions, that you particularly like. Don’t forget your crockery or napkins. If it’s already in your house and you like it, it’s part of the scheme. Make a note of the dominant shades and don’t forget the backgrounds: do you lean cool white or warm cream? Black or charcoal, navy or khaki?
That is the first step. Read on to find out where else to gain inspiration and how to bring it all together depending on which room you are decorating.
