PROPERTY & INTERIORS
FAR FROM
THE BLUES
Sophie Conran Bohemia Wallpaper Teal, £19.98. B&Q
When we tell you to think of the colour blue, your natural instinct
will be to immediately think of the sea - having the connotations of
serenity, tranquillity and calmness. Clearly you are all thinking of a
beach in the Seychelles or Maldives rather than the Atlantic then?
Blue Retro Phone, £95. Ghost Furniture.
“Blue is nominated as
a favourite colour by many
people and is the colour most
preferred by men. Blue calls to
mind feelings of cal and serenity
but can also signify sadness
– ‘the blues’.” The Psychology of
Colour by Pitney Bowes.
Opera Branded Carina Teal,
£9.99 per roll. Arthouse.
Wherever the colour blue takes you, a large proportion of us seem
to be immediately put off by the colour for our living room. Mainly
as we just instantly think of the predictable nautical theme only at
best suited to bathrooms!
But this is not the only battle that the colour blue seems to have.
Go on admit it, you’re thinking blue = a cold room. Yes, we’ve heard
it all before, for some reason it seems to be some sort of unwritten
rule. It appears that blue really hasn’t got a chance when it comes
to decorating. Well, we’re here to change your opinion so please
put any previous thoughts of the colour blue to the back of your
mind. Living is here to give blue a fresh start for 2012.
The key to ensuring your blues remain warm and
inviting is to pick shades of blue with green
undertones, verging on the side of turquoise.
It also seems that many people associate blue with being a strong
male colour. Well, here at Living we think blue is a great unisex
colour for a room – especially when it has the green undertones.
With a few girly accessories and a mix of textures we guarantee
your home won’t look like some sort of bachelor pad.
To ensure your walls are not veering on the wrong side of nautical,
it may be a good idea to invest in a patterned wallpaper. This could
be floral, geometric or anything else for that matter – steering
away from the stripes of course. If you want a tip from us we’ve
seen some gorgeous blue floral wallpaper on the highstreet.
Colours by B&Q Matt Warm
Blue 2.5L, £16.85. B&Q.
B&Q Everywhere Satin Paint
Water 2.5L, £15.98. B&Q.
, RRP £19.99 per
in Fabric in Aqua
Decadence Curta
fabrics.co.uk
rys
ter
w.
brics. ww
metre. Terry ’s Fa
Colours by B&Q Matt China
Blue 2.5L, £10.98. B&Q.
Emi Curtain Fabric in Marine, RRP
£14.99 per metre. Terry’s Fabrics.
Opera Branded Evie Blue £7.99 per
roll. Arthouse.
January/February 2012
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PROPERTY & INTERIORS
GREY, DULL?
NEVER!
Wipe any initial thoughts of the colour grey, as long gone are
the days of it being associated with being dull. Partly due to the
influence from the fashion scene over the last number of years
and partly due to it now being seen as a modern colour.
But thank god it has had a new lease of life. Here at Living, we are
calling grey the ‘new’ neutral, as we’re sick of seeing all browns
and creams – it’s so last year! If used in a subtle manner then you
can form the perfect neutral home ideal for transitional styling
and if preparing your home for sale.
Due to grey reminding us of metals and manmade materials, it
begins to represent 21st century living and this is consequently
why most shades of grey appear to be contemporary. Therefore
it would be rude not to include some furniture and accessories
that accentuate this fact, such as the unusual chest of drawers
found below. The innovative styling will instantly become quite
a centre piece.
Grey has a very calming influence if used in
the correct manner; it is not dull in the slightest.
Forest Hills Carpet, £20 per sqm. Cormar Carpets. www.cormarcarpets.co.uk
Use a variety of shades to add depth in your room, but leave the
really dark shades to accessories and small areas or else it will
obviously be a little too overwhelming and begin to look gothic
(unless this is what you’re trying to achieve!). Lighter shades will
open up alcoves and duck egg colours look stunning on chimney
breasts.
Colours By B&Q Matt Emulsion
Grey Hints 2.5L, £12.98. B&Q.
Q&A: Can I add colour to grey?
We promise you’ll actually be quite surprised with the amount of colours that
work with grey and just how versatile it is! The main thing you need to decide
is what kind of vibe you are hoping to achieve from your room, and then suit
the colours to match. E.g. Futuristic and luxurious rooms deserve grey to be
matched with whites and silvers. Modern retro styles can see grey teamed with
daring bold colours such as yellows, red and greens. And (probably the most
surprising of mixtures) to add a girly edge blend grey with pinks.
Colours By B&Q Matt Emulsion
Grey Slate 2.5L, £12.98. B&Q.
tum. Design:
Collection: Momen
in
£41 a roll. Harlequ
Element Texture,
Avion Wide Chest of Drawers, £950.
www.blackorchidinteriors.co.uk
110
Masonry Smooth Storm Grey
5L, £19.98. B&Q.
Collection: Momentum. Design:
Sophie Conran for Arthouse, Chartwell
Element Texture, £41 a roll. Harlequin
Charcoal, £19.98 per roll. Arthouse.
PROPERTY & INTERIORS
SUNSHINE ON
A RAINY DAY
It’s loud, it’s bright, it’s beautiful and it is oh so 2012! If you haven’t heard
already then you need to inject a little yellow into your life – whether that
is in your fashion sense or on your walls. Yellow is THE colour of the year by
far. Lemon, citrus or mustard – it’s entirely your choice.
Despite yellows being a bright colour associated with the sunshine, they
may begin to feel a little cold if not mixed with the right colours. Whites may
not be the best match unless matched with a choice of other bold shades to
such as fuchsias and purples for the girly edge.
The easiest way to ensure your room doesn’t suffer from the touch of cold
is by choosing more of a mustard yellow than a lemon. With the notes of
orange, which ultimately is a warming colour, it also has a sense of richness.
But this doesn’t mean we have anything against any other shade of yellow!
Lemons and citrus colours have the connotations of being uber refreshing
(maybe due to its citrus counterparts) so you instantly feel revitalised and
re-energised when stepping in the room – which can’t be a bad thing at all!
“Yellow is the most visible colour. It is often described
as cheery and warm, but also signifies cowardice.” The
Psychology of Colour by Pitney Bowes
Giselle Wallpaper, £39 per roll. Remi Stripe Fabric (on sofa), £52
per metre. Giselle Fabric (on cushion), £58 per metre. Harlequin.
Colours by B&Q Silk Paint Sunflower
2.5L, £12.98. B&Q.
Colours by B&Q Matt Lemon Ice
2.5L, £12.98. B&Q.
One of the main colours we are seeing yellow being teamed with is (believe
it or not) grey! The make such an amazing contrast and therefore somehow
it just seems to work. This trend has been creeping around for some time
and now everyone who’s anyone seems to be decorating their interiors with
the chosen scheme. Keep furniture and accessories highly modern to finish
the overall contemporary look.
Quirky Handmade Wallpaper in yellow, £65
per roll. The Unique Boutique Company.
Colours by B&Q Silk Warm
Yellow 2.5L, 19.98. B&Q
Knitted Floor Cushion, £139.95.
www.theuniqueboutiquecompany.co.uk
Q&A: Yellow doesn’t seem to suit my walls?
Not all shades of yellow will look right in your room - it all dependants
on the amount of light in the room and the light source on whether
the shade of yellow will be fitting. If your chosen room is lucky
enough to receive flood loads of natural sunlight, then I’m afraid
many a yellow will simply be washed out. This is where mustard will
suit best as it will act like a contrast against the bright light. Lemons
will hardly be seen!
The best advice would be to paint a few samples on your walls to
see which works best. You may even find that you will use a range of
shades of yellow in the scheme to best suit the light.
Sophie Conran for Arthouse, Chartwell
Yellow, £19.98 per roll. Arthouse.
Milan Curtain Fabric in Saffron, RRP
£14.99 per metre. Terry’s Fabrics.
January/February 2012
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