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Five fast facts about choosing and using paint colour

By Guest Poster โ€ข 3 Comments

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By Cherie Barber

They call it the power of paint, but really what weโ€™re talking about is the power of colour to completely alter the mood and appearance of a place.ย When you change the daffodil-coloured house with red window trim to a modern muted grey with white trim (yes, I did see this recently), or when you rev up a drab interior with a deep-coloured feature wall, youโ€™re changing the way that room or faรงade makes you feel. A colour scheme has the power to make you recoil in horror or lift your spirits.

So letโ€™s look at five fast facts about paint and colour.

Tricks of the mind

Thereโ€™s both an emotional and practical aspect to colour. For example, a large space will feel more inviting bathed in warm colours, and a long, narrow room can feel more ‘square’ if you paint the narrow end in a warmer tone than the rest. Thereโ€™s warm whites and cool whites, just like you get in light bulbs these days. Hint: a cool white will need a lot of sunlight to warm it up.

Colour rules

Warm colours advance and cool colours recede. Which means if you paint the fireplace surround a moody blue, it will immediately leap out at you. Paint it the same neutral beige as the rest of the room and you might struggle to notice it.

The importance of texture

Itโ€™s not just colour that you have to worry about when choosing paint โ€“ the finish greatly impacts the final look. For example, high gloss will show up every flaw, but itโ€™s my favourite for woodwork trims as it makes everything shine and look new. For walls, while the chalky finish of matte (or flat) is the best for hiding imperfections, it doesnโ€™t make for easy cleaning; low-sheen is the most popular choice for living areas.

The significance of sunlight

The level of natural light you get in a room should also be taken into account when choosing colour โ€“ even if itโ€™s just deciding between a warm white and a cool white. If youโ€™re going for a darker shade, it becomes even more important to do a test patch and then view it at various times of the day. Early-to-mid-morning sunlight tends to have slightly blue tones, while afternoon to sunset has warmer tones.

Choosing a colour scheme

So now you know a handful of rules around colour, the burning question probably is: how do I pick a modern colour palette for my home? Well, this is largely where the rules end and personal preference kicks in. Neutrals are always timeless (including shades of beige and grey), or you could be more daring and experiment with popular deep greys and blues, or even Pantoneโ€™s 2017 colour of the year, Greenery.

Cherieโ€™s next 3-day renovating workshop is in Sydney on 19 May.ย 

โ€“Cherie Barber is the director ofย Renovating for Profit, a company that teaches everyday people how to buy and renovate properties for a profit.

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February 22, 2017

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๐Ÿ˜ Not sure what's better: the custom mirror abo ๐Ÿ˜ Not sure what's better: the custom mirror above the fireplace in this Art Deco one-bedder or the wallpaper in the kitchen (swipe)?!

It's been a while since we featured an apartment makeover on IA. Would you like to see more apartment interiors? Head to the blog now to see more of this one. Via link in bio.

#artdecoapartment #artdecointerior
#artdecomirror #artdecofireplace #artdecomelbourne #artdecofurniture #artdecobuilding #artdecointeriors #apartmentrenovation #apartmentinterior #smallspaceliving #melbourneapartments #melbourneairbnb #kitchenwallpaper #wallpaperaustralia
Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sh Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sheets and soap and powder!). We have a great roundup of the best options on the blog today. 

A whole host of brands are offering eco-friendly, low tox alternatives to the more chemical-laden ones. Not only that, they often smell amazing, look good on your shelf and come in recycled or recyclable (or even better, both) packaging. 

Good for your skin, your clothes and the planet: whatโ€™s not to like?

Do you use any of these?

COMPARE THEM ALL VIA LINK IN BIO NOW.

#lowtoxliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxhome #lowtoxlaundry #lowtoxswaps #naturallaundry #naturallaundrydetergent #naturallaundrysoap #ecolaundry #lowtoxcleaning #ecofriendlyhome #ecofriendlyhouse #laundryliquid #laundrypowder #laundrysoap #naturalcleaning #chemicalfreecleaning #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Play room goals!๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป This is just one room fr Play room goals!๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป

This is just one room from today's real house tour which I really love because in employing interior designer @issyandhcreative the owners weren't looking for a complete rip out and re-do but rather to work with what they had in their new suburban home (including a dated kitchen) and give it a largely cosmetic glow up with styling and new furniture (some of which was upcycled). 

The brief was to create a family friendly home. "They weren't looking for perfection but rather a warm and relaxing retreat for their busy young family." This playroom though? Pretty close to perfect! And the mum did the colour coded books herself. Love that๐Ÿ˜

Head over to the blog now via link in bio to see the rest of this home.

#playroomideas #playroomgoals #playroomdecor #familyhomes #kidfriendlyhome #kidfriendlyinteriors #familyhomedecor #sustainabledecor #affordablerenovations #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #beanbagchair #beanbags #colourcodedbooks #colourcoded #toyroom #kidsroomdesign 

Pix by @tealily
All the heart eyes for this little setup ๐Ÿ˜ Hea All the heart eyes for this little setup ๐Ÿ˜

Head to the blog to shop this and two other gorgeous styled images from @greenhouseinteriors 

The stunning @mrsniceart artwork has already sold but the good news is, you can still get prints of it!

Styling by Aisha Chaudhry for Greenhouse Interiors, assisted by Nikki McGar, Kylie Harris, Rachael Blake and Max Green. Photography by Stephanie Rooney. 

#poolart #sideboardstyling #buffetstyling #consolestyling #vignettes #greenhouseinteriors #barcartstyling #shopthelook #bluehomedecor #poolumbrella #beachumbrella
Bookworms need a cosy book nook! ๐Ÿ“– ๐Ÿ› Seb an Bookworms need a cosy book nook! ๐Ÿ“– ๐Ÿ›

Seb and Charlie had one of those kid size couches in their playroom but frankly, they'd outgrown it! I picked this Aussie made compact 2-seater Ruby sofa from @fantasticfurniture 

I'd usually go for grey to keep it neutral but as it's in a kid's room I went for this heather blue fabric to make it a little more fun while still classic. There's more than 50 fabric choices for Fantastic's Aussie made range so good luck choosing ๐Ÿ˜‚ 

I left the legs off to keep it below the windowsill. I'm super happy with the quality. It looks a lot more expensive than its $699 pricetag ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป

Books, natural light and a cosy couch = happy boys! And let's not pretend they won't be watching the odd movie on there too ๐Ÿฟ because #keepingitreal

#FantasticFurniture #FantasticFamily #booknook #booknookstagram #booknook #bookwormsofinstagram #littlereader #littlebookworm #cosycorner #cosycorner #playroomideas #toyroom #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #aussiemade #aussiemadefurniture #twoseater #kidssofa #kidscouch #bluesofa #loveofreading
Last week we interviewed chalk paint pioneer Annie Last week we interviewed chalk paint pioneer Annie Sloan from her UK base about colour and Aussies' relationship with it. (And how's this for a before & after kitchen?! ๐Ÿ˜)

Annieโ€™s latest green hue, Coolabah Green, is inspired by the Eucalyptus trees of her childhood (did you know she was born in Sydney?). โ€œI made it in tribute to Australia and Iโ€™m thrilled to say thatโ€™s been really popular both here in the UK and in Australia. Itโ€™s a kind of smoky, silvery sage green thatโ€™s very easy to work with and would complement accents of Amsterdam Green deliciously.โ€

Sales stats show Aussies are all about greens while elsewhere in the world greys and blues are more popular from her range. So tell me, are you a green lover?

Head to the blog to read Annie's thoughts on upcycling furniture and more. Via link in bio.

#chalkpaint #chalkpainted #chalkpainting #chalkpaintfurniture #chalkpaintlove #chalkpaintmakeover #anniesloanchalkpaint #anniesloanhome #anniesloanpaint #paintedkitchencabinets #paintedkitchen #paintedkitchens #upcycler #upcyclers #upcyclersofinstagram #upcycledfurniture #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #anniesloan #greenkitchencabinets #greenkitchens #greenpaint #coolabahgreen #coolabah
I've been a fan of @tkmaxxau since WAY before they I've been a fan of @tkmaxxau since WAY before they were in Australia. Browsing the ever changing shelves in the home section of my local store, searching for bargains or something gorgeous nobody else will have, has become a bit of a hobby!

Top tip: it's also a brilliant spot to grab a gift, from the home or toy section. 

And as for those red clearance stickers? What a rush!๐ŸŽ‰

Are you a TK Maxx shopper?

#tkmaxx #tkmaxxaustralia #tkmaxxfanfinds #comeshoppingwithme #comeshopwithme #homeshopping  #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
As many original external features as possible wer As many original external features as possible were retained in this Queenslander's exterior but the interiors were almost entirely rebuilt. Highlights include a timber and pink upholstered 1970โ€™s inspired sunken lounge with crazy paver floor, nestled below 5-metre ceilings. It opens out onto a north facing lawn and enviable bespoke pool.

Did we mention it has Brisbane city views?! 

Take the tour now via link in bio.

@typearchitecture @andymcpherson_ 

#sunkenlounge #crazypave #crazypaving #seventiesinspired #seventiesinterior #bespokepool #curvedpool #custompool #custompools #custompoolbuilder #queenslanderrenovation #queenslanderhome #cityviews
Mouthwash and toothpaste pretty enough to leave ou Mouthwash and toothpaste pretty enough to leave out, gold sinks to match your taps, textured tiles you'll want to keep touching and a pink clothes airer (not often we get even vaguely excited about those, so listen up!๐Ÿ˜‚).

All this and more in this month's bathroom and laundry roundup, on the blog now via link in bio.

#toothpastes #naturaltoothpaste #lowtox #mouthwash #naturalmouthwash #bathroomstyling #designerbathroom #clothesairer #laundryroomdecor #laundryhacks #goldbasin #goldsink #texturedtiles #pinktiles #pinkbathroom #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #laundryroutine #laundrytips #bathroomhappiness
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarFfiona Phillips says

    September 7, 2019 at 10:51 am

    I want to paint skirting boards with high gloss enamel, but I am told it will go yellow. Can you advise a tint to stop this from happening?

    Reply
  2. AvatarLinda says

    November 21, 2020 at 6:46 pm

    Add a drop of black to the can to stop it taking on a yellow tone over time.

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      November 22, 2020 at 7:30 pm

      Sounds like a great tip!

      Reply

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