Colour - in all its gloriful glow

Colour in any project makes the heart soar and to take flight is the ultimate goal of us all at some point in our lives, especially in the home. But to me colour needs to not disturb too much. I use strong colours but I like it not to interfere or compete for my attention. When I notice it, it speaks to me and if I want to ignore it, I can, it’s not reaching out and throttling me. But if you were to buy one of my properties or if the plan was to sell the property, many home buyers are told by real-estate agents ‘go neutral for maximum appeal’. But character and personality not only speak volumes but invites the person into the experience. It says, I see you equally as much as you see me and that’s the mutual understanding that appeals to me as a designer.

Especially if I am walking into a bar or commercial space, I want to be transported into an experience and I want to know precisely what you are thinking and feeling and my response to that is interesting to me. A neutral palette is just that - neutral- and I mostly feel at ease, but not surprised. Will I remember it later? Probably, but just as likely not.

Experiment with colour in your design

I use colour to evoke a felt sense. Sometimes I don’t get it right immediately and it’s a work in progress but when it works it really is exceptional as a destination piece and it warms me, not only spiritually, but intellectually sometimes too. I can go into the phycology of colour but then it becomes prosaic and a ‘paint by numbers’. I believe colour is as much trial by error as it is a nod to personal authentication and expression and sometimes we just don’t know what resonates in a space until we see it. If something is not working swap it out, experiment. This is why good design takes time. Being there at certain times of the day and night helps to see the light at different stages. It may mean creating an ambience through lighting to provoke a certain colour eliciting a particular response. You need a freedom to explore.

I am not OK with trends mostly for the same reasons. If I were to look online at property and see a whole lot of the same things, then why would anyone need a designer to work their magic, just to copy what has been done ad-nauseum in the current market? If you are hiring a designer make sure they understand nuance, listen to your design input and functional use of space. You as the client are ultimately in charge of the project, so if something doesn’t resonate with you let the designer know early on. Let them into your imagination as to your colour preferences and trust them enough to go on a journey of exploration of colour, you might be delighted in what you find.