The hidden hacks interior design experts use for colour filled homes

After years of being bathed in greige – that mix of grey and beige that has dominated walls for the past decade – colour has once again returned to interiors. Inky blues, forest greens, warm terracottas, spicy mustards and rich burgundys have fallen back into favour as adventurous homeowners find expression in immersive and colourful environments.

But just as some are wading into deeper ends of the colour spectrum, others prefer to remain on safer shores. And while many love nothing more than endless off-white walls, others are colour curious but unsure how to dive in. While it may seem effortless, some of the best designers use the same techniques over and over again to create spaces that are colourful manifestations of their clients’ passions and personalities.

Here are four pathways to creating a colourful home.

Interior designer Brett Mickan says artwork is a great starting point for bringing colour into interiors.Credit: Brett Mickan Design

Artwork

One of the best starting points for creating a cohesive colour scheme is with an artwork you already own and love. Even if you’re unable to put your finger on colours you want to work with, it’s a good indicator of where your preferences lie.

“Sometimes clients come to us with an existing art collection which can be a really lovely place to start,” says interior designer Nic Kaiko, from Kaiko Design.

Nic Kaiko says while it’s an excellent starting point be mindful to avoid using artwork as a ‘paint by numbers’ palette. Credit: Kaiko Design

Whether it’s a piece of abstract art or something more traditional, Kaiko says it is best to consider the colours used in the work as a leaping off point rather than a palette to race off with to the paint store.

“I don’t think the art should necessarily match the interiors – you can become a bit ‘Debbie decorator’ if you’re not careful.”

Brett Mickan from Brett Mickan Design agrees that a client’s existing collection can be an incredibly useful reference. He says the magic is in creating tension between the colours in the artwork and the colour of your wall.

“The worst thing you can do is to match an interior to a piece of art,” says Mickan. “What gives a house energy and vibrancy sometimes is the clashing of colours.”

Area rugs

Design mentor at King Living, Chris Cooke says taking your design cues from a floor rug you love is an excellent starting point for building a whole colour palette.

“It’s an anchor point in the room,” he says. “In interior design, you can start with a focal point and move out or an anchor point and move up.”

King Living design mentor, Chris Cooke, says you can use a rug to build a room from the ground up.Credit: King Living

Unlike wall-to-wall carpet, which is usually a uniform colour, a floor rug is an opportunity to express a little – or a lot– of colour and pattern.

Kaiko says on a recent project in Darlinghurst, he commissioned a bold geometric rug to specifically sit in a living area bathed in light.

“On the exterior of the building, there’s a series of external louvres and when the sun comes in, it casts horizontal shadows,” he says. “We used that [pattern] to design a rug.”

Interior designer Nic Kaiko made this rug the focal point in the room. It’s design was inspired by the shadows created by the louvred windows.Credit: Kaiko Design

Exterior landscape

Given the number of homeowners choosing to opening up the back of the house to create indoor/outdoor flow, it’s not a surprise that many designers look to the natural environment for their colour cues.

Kate Nixon from Kate Nixon Studio says opting for a palette drawn from the natural environment automatically grounds the colour scheme, creating a sense of calm and cohesion.

“It is important whatever we do, it sits cohesively in the landscape so it feels like it belonged. You need to get that flow from room to room,” she says.

Designer Kate Nixon says connecting spaces to the natural landscape creates a sense of connection and cohesion.Credit: Kate Nixon Studio

Mickan says it’s no accident that greens and blues pop up regularly in his work, as he seeks connections between the interior and exterior environments.

“It needs to belong where it is and that is not based on the architecture but the location,” he says. “A lot of contemporary homes are a lot of glass with a view, which becomes part of the space. I use a lot of greens and blues – it’s about balance.”

Your wardrobe

We’re all naturally drawn to certain colours but it can sometimes be difficult, when you’re put on the spot, to pinpoint what those colours are. Nixon says it can be surprisingly useful to look to a client’s wardrobe for hints.

“The wardrobe is useful if we feel we are getting stuck because it’s a good way to understand what the client naturally gravitates towards.”

Cooke agrees that what we wear is a window into our design preferences, even if we don’t know it.

“People often don’t really realise how they are expressing their personality. It’s a really good place to look for clues.”

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