Colours are often surrounded by preconception - blue is cold, red is stimulating, yellow is happy and welcoming and green is restful etc. While there may be some truth in all of these statements, they should each be taken with a pinch of salt. The mood created within a space is informed almost entirely by the depth of colour and how it has
been used.
The simple theory of the colour wheel - based on just red, yellow and blue - was developed by Sir Issac Newton in the 18th century, as was the first circular diagram of logically presented colours. The concept has been used and developed by artists and scientists ever since.
The original wheel was made up of six sections comprising three primary colours and three secondary colours, one side warmer and the other cooler. The primary colours (Red, Blue & Yellow) cannot be created from any other colours, whereas secondary colours (Green, Orange & Purple) are made using equal quantities of primary
colours mixed together.
The colour wheel we see used most commonly today includes 12 sections includes primary colours, secondary colours and tertiary colours, tertiary colours being combinations of primary and secondary colours such as yellow-green, red-orange and blue-green etc. The wheel can help us to understand how colours relate to each other and how they may be used together in interior schemes.
Reds & Pinks
The colour Red has been a favourite around the world from the Victorian era to the present day. Considered to always be warm and welcoming, it is also the most powerful of colours, which means choosing to paint a room red is not for the colour-shy of us.
Strong reds are very well suited to spaces such as dining rooms as they help to add drama and depth. They have a robust intensity and stimulating quality. Conversely, less vivid reds will produce a more restful atmosphere, as the effect of the colour strengthens when used over a larger area. These more muted tones create warm and earthy spaces that are less challenging to the eye yet still evoke a rich, classical feeling.
While red may be warm and welcoming, Pink has a much more gentle and soothing quality. An uplifting colour, tones of which can be used to create feelings of joy and youth, as well as sumptuous spaces full of impact depending on the tone you opt for.
Yellows
Yellow has been a colour to experience enduring popularity since the 18th century. That said, it was not until the 20th century when influential interior designer Nancy Lancaster used the colour extensively that it entered the mainstream, in which it has remained ever since. The colour is still used frequently in interior decoration practices, in thanks to the hopeful and optimistic feeling it never fails to evoke.
Yellow creates rooms full of energy, and enhances large spaces gloriously. Rich yellows reminiscent of sunshine help to create a welcoming and stimulating atmosphere, though may be better left out of the bedroom. Strong tones are best used in combination with significant amounts of white to ensure the colour does not become overwhelming. That said, strong yellow also works wonderfully well with deep, dark shades of blue to create intense and dramatic spaces with increased vibrancy and style. For light, refreshing spaces it is best to use creamier tones of yellow, which will produce a softer and more reflective atmosphere.
Greens
Green, from delicate understated tones to deeper shades, is often associated with health, good luck and the great outdoors. In one of the earliest recorded references to painted decoration, King Henry III
ordered that the panelling in his principal residence at Windsor be
painted in the colour.
An uplifting colour, green is a perfect choice for those with an inclination to replicate English country house style. For spaces with a flexible and restful feel, opt for tranquil, muted shades of green which will work well with off-white tones to soften any harsh contrast. If you want spaces with more energy and life, choose tones with more intensity. These colours will work well in kitchens because of their refreshing, out-doorsy feel which in turn creates a happy family atmosphere with breathing space.For a more sophisticated scheme with magical qualities, choose a lighter distemper tone. There are few colours which can match up to green’s ability to promote a feeling of health, vigour, nature and the
essence of life itself.
Aquas
In between green and blue, tones with aqua qualities due to underlying green hues make for the prettiest of spaces, and are therefore ideal in bedrooms and bathrooms. Due to the addition of green pigment, spaces painted in this colour won’t appear cold.
This in-between-hues colour provides spaces with the best of qualities from both green and blue tones. Use light tones of this colour to create light, airy rooms with a more delicate and gentle aesthetic. Darker shades of aqua create a feeling of serenity and space dueto their reminiscent quality of open waters and the sea, whilst also providing a greater feeling of intimacy due to stronger tonal quality. These tones have a warmth that makes them easier to live with, and works particularly well on panelling and woodwork.
Dependant on which side of the blue-green line a tone sits on, and the light value it has, this versatile chameleon colour can be cheerful and bright or muted and relaxing.
Blues
The colour blue tends to divide opinion more than any other colour. For some it evokes a feeling of calm and serenity, while for others it immediately feels cold and unwelcoming.
Cleopatra is said to have used pure ground lapis lazuli as eye-shadow, and while often considered a regal colour, blue should also be used to achieve calm and spiritual spaces within the home. The price of blue pigment once exceeded that of gold, and is now the most widely used colour in interior decoration than any other.
For cool, airy spaces look to lighter tones of blue and combine them with clean white. This will create a formal yet relaxed scheme reminiscent of Wedgwood China. The most relaxing of blue colours are those shades which are on their way to grey.
Look to stronger tones of the colour if you wish to create a clean-looking space with life and light. Darker shades are reserved for those wishing to achieve a more sophisticated, glamorous scheme with more drama, and are fast becoming a popular and perhaps more stylish alternative to charcoal grey.
Darks
The past decade has seen many designers cross over to the dark side in regard to paint colours. These days, people are more concerned with the mood of their spaces, becoming increasingly less focused on purely the illusion of space and instead opting for deeper more saturated shades of colour within the home.
While darks may at first seem only for the brave and daring, they can be an inspired solution to naturally dark spaces as they blur the perimeters of the room. Even in larger spaces, these darker, more commanding shades can flatter the proportions of a room and create a strong sense of theatricality. Dark shades undeniably create a moody atmosphere, however are instilled with an unexpected sense of modernity.
For the perfect backdrop to home furnishing, choose deep rich shades with warm undertones. These will also work well in bedrooms as they create intimate, romantic spaces. Remember, while at first Darks may seem daunting, they can create modern, dynamic spaces in both traditional schemes as well as more contemporary endeavours.
Neutrals
Without a shadow of a doubt, neutrals have been the most popular tones for the home decorator in the first decades of the 21st century, perhaps for a good reason too. For many, these carefully balanced colours create a comfortable and understated environment which is easy on the eye and make few demands in regard to space.
Neutrals offer infinite possibility in creating spaces with light, airy atmospheres. The can appear sophisticated and elegant, or relaxed and timeless in their use. These tones also allow for stronger colour to be introduced elsewhere in the home, such as through the addition of key pieces of furniture, textiles and/or art.
It is important to remember neutrals alone are not a fail-safe choice as it can be easy to end up with a bland and uninviting space. To ensure your neutral scheme is a success, try creating a tonal scheme using multiple tones, as even the most subtle differentiation in tone will produce more complex and dynamic spaces. Also consider the underlying tones of your chosen neutrals, and how these will interact with light and shade.
Whites
For many, white is white. For House of Theobald, there are a range of whites that go beyond the clinical, cold tone of brilliant white that work together with stronger colours to ensure harmonious schemes can be achieved by everyone.
Whether being used on the walls, ceilings or trim, white is a colour best used in support of other tones, to add light or contrast, or maintain a traditional working scheme.
Whether you want a subtle, muted feel, or desire a fresher and more graphic scheme, there is a white you can choose in confidence that will bring your space together in harmony.
Consider the undertones of your white tone when creating schemes and how your chosen colours will interact within your space and any light it encounters.
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