COLOUR DESIGN PART ONE

COLOUR TRENDS FOR 2015/16

Colour Design Part One. Colour is the catalyst that can define the space and create the magic and the mood of a room. When designing any interiors, knowing what colours to use is critical to the success of a room’s appearance and mood.

The team at Style Plus | Renovations Auckland take a look at a few colour options and provides some useful tips and inspiration for your home renovation or new build.

So,

Why are people so hesitant to use colour in their home environments?
Why are neutral colours so popular?
Why are we afraid of colour?

Whether you chose to use it boldly or subtly colour can entirely change the mood in a space. Colour is the single most powerful element in interior design.

Current trends are wide-ranging for colour dependant on the overall look you want to achieve and leave it open for you to be creative. So whether it is paint colour you are looking for or accessories for a more subtle background, the colour you choose can have different effects.

If you would like to know more about interior painting tip from the team at Style Plus, then check out this post – Interior Painting.

Also, if you are looking for an alternative to paint, check out wallpaper trend for 2018.

Red – symbolises happiness and contentment, emotion and passion. It is known to stimulate the appetite, so is an excellent colour for a dining room. As red softens to pink it feels more relaxed and feminine.

Orange – a warm colour, closely associated with autumn and the earth. Stimulating and generating energy and happiness. Uplifting for kitchens.

Yellow – energising like the Sun. The colour of spring, the sun, light, intensity and happiness. Use in rooms where energy needs boosting.

Green – fresh and calm, the colour of life. It has a relaxing effect and calming qualities, perfect for bedrooms.

Blue – although classified as a cool colour, it is restful and calming – great for bedrooms and living areas.

Style Plus | Interior Design

COLOUR TRENDS 2015:
THE BEAUTY OF GREY

For the second year in a row, we are predicting grey to be the most popular hue for home interiors. This is the first time any colour has headlined a forecast in back-to-back years, but grey, a near-perfect neutral colour, has really caught on.

Grey, it’s very easy on the eyes. It’s understated and sophisticated. And most tints and shades of grey are ‘chameleon’ colours that change appearance when the light changes, so they provide enormous visual interest.

Another reason for its popularity: grey is a very versatile colour that coordinates beautifully with a wide range of hues. As a result, it can be used in many different colour schemes and with almost any style of décor.

Pairing grey with one or more neutral colours – white, off-white, beige, taupe, soft blue, or black – can produce a tranquil colour scheme capable of making an indoor space more relaxing. That’s why we so often see these combinations in areas where we seek refuge and comfort, such as bedrooms and family rooms.

But grey can also serve as an ideal foil for more adventurous colour, ranging from saturated hues like purple, fuchsia, rust, and navy to softer tints like dusty pink and pale lavender. Colour schemes employing these combinations can be used in virtually any room in the home.

Of course, “grey” refers not just to one colour, but to many – running the gamut from delicate silver tints to powerful shades of gunmetal, charcoal, and slate. In each, black and white is present, but often, traces of other colours, too. These “trace colours” provide valuable clues as to what works best with a given grey.

Sometimes, it’s easy to identify the trace colours that appear in grey, but not always. Where paint colour is concerned, you can simply ask the counterperson about the colour formula to find out whether the grey contains warm or cool elements, and let that guide your selection of companion colours.

Warm or cool, grey is a great colour for any interior. And it’s a colour that will stand the test of time!

RESENE PAINT COLOUR TRENDS FOR 2015/16

The trends have come back around to perennial favourites –the soothing restfulness of greys, duck egg blue and greyed blues and the bold pops of orange and yellow to add a touch of upbeat liveliness.

Be spontaneous; add that bold happy colour that you’ve always loved for a touch of fun. Sure it might not last 10 years but the enjoyment you’ll get out of it in even a short period will far outweigh feeling trapped by safe choices.

Colours should inspire you, help you feel at home and reflect who you are.

Where once there were rules, guidelines and boundaries, now there is free will, free choice and endless possibilities. The only limit is your imagination.

RESENE COLOURS

• Grey has hidden depths; sometimes blue, sometimes green. Once the complement, it’s now a feature. We’re seeing the tones of beige turn greige as they cool into greys and lose some of their warm beige edges. Beige is still big, but greige, such as Resene Triple Rakaia, offers a new sleeker alternative for those looking for something new.

• Dusty and smoky, there is a new palette of colours coming through, such as Resene Mesmerise, Resene Soulmate and Resene Abercrombie, that feel timeless, gently weathered and softened over the passage of time. Easy to live with and coordinate, they’re a sophisticated alternative to cleaner pastels. They bring with them a sense of being more grounded and less airy than the pastels of recent years.

• Reds are strong and powerful, with influencing blue tones, such as popular Resene Pohutukawa and Resene Poppy. Fire engine red is not to be ignored with hues such as Resene Havoc. Equally bold is the frivolity of hot magenta pink captured Resene Scrumptious.

• The bold pops of colour are still popular for a quick hit of uplifting colour and as a useful device for way finding, with new colours such as Resene Adrenalin and Resene Bright Lights commanding attention.

• Browns are turning more yellow toned, making them more complementary with wood. Warm dark browns, such as Resene Sambuca and the lighter Resene Rough N Tumble, are sought after; an excellent sophisticated pairing with timber or to contrast other colour choices.

• When it comes to green, the coming trends are diverse. On the dark side there are the earthy camouflage and nature inspired shades that would look right at home in the deepest jungle with hues such as Resene Seaweed. On the lighter side there are the striking bright look at me greens, such as Resene Kakapo and Resene Curiosity. For something a little more restful there are fresh mint and airy greens, such as Resene Kandinsky and Resene Secrets, light on the senses.

• Blues become mutable tones, such as Resene Dusted Blue. Fresh blues, like Resene Skydiver, ground the more powdery tones, such as Resene Frozen. Ever popular duck egg blue, such as Resene Duck Egg Blue and Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, bridges the gap between neutral and coloured with just a touch of colour to lift it away from monochromatic greys.

• Purples, such as Resene Fascinator and Resene Gypsy Queen, are wild and glorious, shining forth with alluring boldness.

NEUTRALS

Neutrals as always are the balance. The backdrop to the brights, your favourite accessories, the respite from busy life and the soft cocoon you can use as a launch pad as you progress down the path to bolder choices. Blackened neutrals such as the Resene Black White and Resene Alabaster colour families are on the upswing and work well with the deep grey accents.

If you are considering renovating your home and would like to discuss your requirements with our team, give us a call 0800 537 537. Alternatively, use the “Contact Us” button on this page.

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