Bold colour for contemporary homes

Decorating with a bold paint palette is often a daunting prospect. Discover how to use exciting new colours in a contemporary country home.

Oranges and pinks

Orange in its purest form is an engaging, warm colour that is highly stimulating. It is most effective in rooms that are a focal point of the house such as a hall where it is welcoming or a large communal kitchen where it is energising and conducive to lively activity. Conversely, it is difficult to adapt to spaces that are used for relaxing.

Contemporary pinks, closely related to browns, have a muddy quality that makes them warm and enveloping, more akin to raw plaster than pastel. Soft and subtle, they work well in a sitting room or dining room but need the contrast of cooler greens or blues to prevent them from becoming cloying.

Greys and neutrals

You may not think so but grey is a very useful colour, especially as a balance to other more intense shades. Try mixing your own paint colours and you will inevitably have to add a little grey to make the colour softer and more lively.

Light affects its tones profoundly. It can be cool and modern or have a surprisingly soft fawny hue especially under warm sunlight or tungsten lamps at night. Temper with wooden floorboards, natural fabrics, whites, creams or other neutral shades.

Greens and turquoises

Watery, marine colours work together harmoniously and can be mixed with a selection of greys, blues and greens ranging from deep turquoise to calmer grey blues and fresher leaf greens. Don't be afraid to experiment with really muted, muddy greens that can also work with the dried-out straw shades of grasses and sandy soil as well as olive greens and browns.

Blues and purples

Rich, saturated violets make a dramatic - even decadent - statement in a room. For a softer approach, choose a deep, dusty aubergine. These colours suit a theatrical style: gilded frames, sumptuous fabrics and intricate detailing in mouldings and furniture. Greens are a good pairing, especially olive tones or vivid emerald shades, which are their natural complement.

Stronger blues need not be intimidating. When cobalt or cornflower are mixed with magenta it gives them warmth and depth, reminiscent of the azure skies of the Mediterranean. Team with whites, warm buffs and pinks for contrast.  

Yellows and limes

Lime yellow looks striking but can be difficult to use in most properties. Stronger green-yellows tend to have a fluorescent quality, which can easily overpower an interior. They are best used in moderation, for example on a single wall or moulding or set against much warmer colours - blues or lilacs are a good foil. Softer yellow-greens or pale yellows are much easier to work with and a buttery tone is certainly easier to live with.

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