Tips for Working With Colour

Have you ever taken a trip to the paint swatch area of the building store and left empty-handed and overwhelmed? How can there possible be so many colours to choose from?! If you have, you’re not alone.

A vibrant yellow upholstered chair sits next to a circular wooden table; on the table is a clay pot with a succulent plant.
A vibrant yellow upholstered chair sits next to a circular wooden table; on the table is a clay pot with a succulent plant.

Colour can be an easy and affordable way to completely transform your space and dramatically enhance the mood of any room. But it’s not always intuitive knowing where to start working with colour.

Colour is very subjective and personal. Colours have cultural and social meanings.

When working with colour, you may wish to think about what certain colours mean to you:

  • How does your chosen colour make you feel?
  • Do you have a positive association (or conversely, a negative one) to any particular colours?

That’s not to say you should only consider colours you ‘like’ and ignore the ones you don’t. In the right context, you may be surprised at how colours you may have on your ‘nope!’ list work, so try to be open with colour choices.

Thinking about how you use your space is of particular importance with colour selection:

  • Specific tones can freshen things up. Some colours can create an illusion of more light, and of more space.
  • Conversely, some colours can make a space feel smaller, or more enveloping.

Depending on your particular goals for your space, some effects will be more appropriate than others!

Consider writing down how you would like your room to feel when you are in it. Jot down a list of words that you would like to associate with being in that space. If you’re designing an intimate space to enjoy a nightly read in, you likely would benefit from very different colours than your breakfast nook!

Of course, selecting colours isn’t just about choosing paint.

Colour can come from nearly anywhere: countertops, flooring, wood stains, artwork, and furniture are just a few examples. Maybe you really love a particularly bright shade of yellow: consider adding it to your palette as a single focal point in the form of furniture rather than overwhelming the space with it.

The addition of custom window treatments is another way to enhance your new space with colour. Want to try something bold, but don’t want to commit your walls to that luxurious deep purple you’re in love with? Consider using it as an accent in your window treatments!

Lighting is another key consideration when thinking about colour:

  • Does your space have natural light?
  • At what times of the day are you likely to use the space?
  • If you’re relying on artificial light, what colour temperature of bulbs would work best?
  • Do you have the correct fixtures in place?

Of course these are just some ideas to get you thinking.

And if you’re interested in having professional input on your colour choices, consider bringing in a trusted interior designer to provide a colour consultation.

The goal of a colour consultation is to simplify and enhance your interior design project. Your designer will consider how colour affects the flow, continuity, and balance in your space, and helps you avoid costly decorating mistakes.


Feeling overwhelmed by colour?

Island Efficient Interior Design offers design consultations to home and business owners. From helping select swatches to making the final decision for you, we can help guide you though your colourful journey!

Let’s Work Together!

Visit our Nanaimo drapery showroom and explore a curated selection of fabrics, window treatments, and wall coverings. Or, book a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation for help getting started on your interior design project.