A soft grey could look gorgeous in a modern master bedroom matched with crisp white linen, a textured white duvet and a thick and fluffy rug whereas a soft grey in a tiny, south-facing child’s room matched with a bold and colourful bedspread could leave the soft grey looking cold and weak in contrast. Top tip: If you like changing your environment, the best idea may be to use a neutral colour scheme and provide accents through replaceable items, such as cushions and flowers. This will enable you to change the mood of the room with a simple change of the accent items. 4The right proportions Whenyou’reusinganumberofcolourstogether,varytheproportions. Using them in equal proportions will give the room an unsettled feel and make the colours feel far too intense. Use the 60:30:10 principle – 60 is the main colour (for most of the walls, and perhaps some furniture and a rug), 30 is the secondary colour that supports the main colour (for example, a feature wall, drapes and linens) and 10 is the accent colour (cushions, lamps and accessories; it could also be a bold paint colour used on a splashback). Most colour schemes are improved by the addition of accents, the final touches that can make a room come to life. Avoid using the same accent colour in too many places or too many accent colours in one room – sometimes subtlety gives the best result. If you want bold colour, but still want a cohesive look try a tonal recipe made up of ‘related’ colours – those that sit next to each other on the colour wheel. So green, turquoise and blue is a tonal related scheme. Or, varying shades of green from turquoise to leafy yellow-greens. Resene Reservoir If you have already selected other room furnishings, bring samples with you when choosing your paint colour. You may even wish to follow the fabric pattern to balance the colour palette for the room.There should be some relationship between that and the newly decorated room to provide continuity. Always keep in mind when developing a colour scheme who will be using the space the most. There is no point using bright orange because it is in fashion if the entire family dislikes the colour. The best homes are decorated with the owner’s personality. Nature lovers may prefer greens and blues to bright reds, while a vibrant owner may prefer bright and bold feature areas that reflect their bubbly personality. Colour can have a huge impact on how a room feels. Warm up a cool room by painting it in warm colours such as creams and reds. Or cool down a hot room by painting it soothing blues and greens. If an important feature of your home is a sea view or landscape panorama you may like to bring the colours you see outside into your home’s colour scheme to provide a natural link between the two. If you want to highlight the view, choose a lighter colour palette. If you want to distance the view make your interior colour scheme more contrasting against the exterior. Paint awkward shapes the same colour as the rest of the room. This will help them to blend in. Some colours suit some rooms. A bright turquoise feature wall with yellow polka dots may not be appropriate for a living room but it would be a lot of fun in a child’s room. | 5