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Wall of many colours
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| Try splashing some raspberry red on your walls |
I'VE COPED with lots of decisions in my life, from the big ones, like which house to buy and which school to send my children to, through to small but vexing ones like, Does my bum look big in this?'
But if one thing's guaranteed to reduce me to a gibbering indecisive wreck, it's a paint chart.
Faced with lyrical but baffling names like Subtle Ivory, Jasmine Mist, or Both Barrels (the latter's green in case you were wondering) I retreat defeated and stagger away with cans of boring
magnolia yet again.
It's comforting to realise the nation's with me and drowning in complete colour confusion' too.
We're stubbornly defying the designers and interiors experts urging us that colour is back in fashion and a must-have for homes, and resolutely sticking to what we know - bland and neutral.
New Dulux research reveals one in four homes in the UK have a neutral or
non-colour' scheme, and the use of those shades has doubled over the past 10 years.
Around 55 per cent of householders are choosing to live in homes decorated in creams and whites even though nearly half of us actually regard them as
"boring, non colours".
It's partly because we're so unused to living without sight of a bright shade or hue that we're too nervous to change,
according to the colour expert for Dulux, Louise Smith.
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| Stafford Cliff's book on interior colours |
She said: "The longer you live in bland rooms the harder it is to visualise them any other way - it's almost like colour phobia has set in for many people."
There's another reason - we're apparently letting our heads rule our decor hearts.
Homeowners are worried that using colour will make our homes less of an
investment, which is of particular concern for homeowners with a view to sell.
Louise said: "The British have had a decade of TV programmes encouraging and telling them to keep their homes neutral' as the best way to get a quick and easy sale.
"That's helped to make people increasingly frightened to express their own
personalities through decoration, because subconsciously they're viewing their homes as a commodity or potential sale."
But in reality, many of us would secretly love to splash colour around and take a spin on a rainbow colour wheel.
The paint company's research also
revealed that only 4 per cent of people
believe cream or off-white reflects their true personality, while 38 per cent of us yearn to use blue and 32 per cent would love to blush pink or paint the town red.
Louise said: "It's sad people feel they cannot express themselves with colour at home.
"After all, they'd never dream of
dressing in the same colour clothes
day-after-day and yet they've imposed a uniform of neutrals on their rooms."
For those with an eye on a sale or rental, Louise advises them to take the plunge and add some colour to your home.
She said: "If it's well-used, colour
actually makes a home more attractive and memorable to a prospective buyer who's probably viewing a seemingly endless number of cream-decorated homes."
Embracing colour, whether you want to make your property appeal to a buyer or simply enjoy your own space, could be a good move.
Stafford Cliff, author of a new book, The Way We Live with Colour, describes how colours affect our emotions and our moods, and are a positive way of
improving our well-being in our home, making a space more enjoyable to live in.
So it's high time to beat the phobia with the help of our experts. Break free from a dull, colourless life.
AM I COLOUR PHOBIC?
Check out your symptoms:
You relied on advice from an estate agent or were influenced by TV property programmes to use a cream or off-white colour scheme.
You've used cream because you think it's the easiest way to decorate.
Around 13% of people believe this, while 24% say keeping it neutral was the key decorating advice they'd been given.
You're secretly 'unhappy' in a neutral living space.
Your bedroom is probably the only colourful room in the house.
Louise said: "People feel braver about experimenting in a room that less people are likely to enter and their colour choice is unlikely to be 'judged' by friends or family."
Even your children's bedrooms are a whiter-shade-of-pale.
Kids rooms are now the least colourful in the house as the use of colour has dropped from 57% colour to 23% in the last 10 years.
HOW DO I START?
Louise said: "Try using just a soft paint shade on one feature wall and you're less likely to overwhelm a room and regret your choice.
"If you don't like the effect simply paint over it! Remember, there's no wrong choice - if you are happy with it, it's fine."
Karen Stylianides, deputy editor of House Beautiful magazine, said: "Look through magazines and catalogues for ideas and inspiration.
Make a mood board, with clippings and cuttings, of favourite looks and collect fabric, paint and wallpaper samples."
She added:"Plan to add one or two bright shades to a neutral scheme. Play safe by experimenting first with scatter cushions in chosen colours before committing to redecorating."
Author, Stafford Cliff said: "Try painting just a patch of wall initially. Look at the colour in different light, say at night and when it's raining.
"Good colour choices don't rely on sunlight. If it's fabric for curtains or blinds, pin up a swatch.
"If you're adding colour to a sofa, consider a big bright cushion or loose cover. Give yourself the flexibility to have fun.
He added: "A successful colour scheme is one that makes people feel comfortable."
In general, limit yourself to no more than six testers at a time.
To see if a colour will work, paint a sheet of paper, at least A4 size, with two coats of a desired shade, then place it in key places in the room i.e. next to windows, opposite a window, and try it with the lights on and off.
WHAT COLOURS SHOULD I CHOOSE?
Louise said: "There are many easy-on-the-eye shades this season like duck egg blue, soft green, or even dusky pink that will warm but not dominate.
"Deep reds and damson purples can look fabulous and create intimate, cosy dining rooms or even dramatic small rooms - especially if the space is generally only used at night and lit by lamps."
Karen Stylianides says: "Consider the aspect of a room. A north-facing room will get a dull, blue light that responds to warm colours. Avoid anything with a blue tone as it will just make it look colder.
"Also, a south-facing room can be overheated and look dazzling when decorated with bright, vibrant colours. Stick to neutral green, mauve or shades of blue.
"Don't just think paint, wallpaper and soft furnishings are available on the high street in rich colours and bold patterns. Florals are a key trend for summer in vibrant pinks, reds and oranges."
Stafford said: "Blue is calming and generally good for bedrooms, while yellow's a wake-up shade - perfect for bathrooms and for bringing the feeling of sun and light to an interior.
"Reds and pinks can be associated with luxury and fine living and often work well in kitchens or dining rooms. They're particularly popular this year with the trend for Eastern style."
Living with neutral tones is a thing of the past so try injecting some colour into your home, and life.
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