Wow factor decorating with Coloursmith confidence

The first steps to managing your own design project are to determine your budget and find your design inspiration. Following a single design style will create a cohesive space that looks well thought out and fits naturally in your space. Using inspiration and establishing a design style will also help you stay focused and on budget. You should also estimate the amount of paint required up front, so you don't end up buying too much or too little. 

Make a design plan before you start sanding the walls or shop for raw materials and furnishings. The designs should be both beautiful and functional. 

Any design plan should cover four basic elements:

Pick a theme 

Choose a focal point in each of your rooms as an anchor and design the entire space

around it. It could be an accent wall, your TV, a cladding, a fireplace, or a door. Choose what you want to see first when you enter the room. Once you know the anchor, choose the furniture, curtains, wall colour, lights and everything else.  

Rhythm

Create a cohesive space by balancing the weight of all elements in the room and repeating elements as you move around the room. Distribute the visual weight and furniture evenly across the room. You can create a rhythm by repeating colours, shapes, textures or objects. 

Contrast

For aesthetics and accessibility, create contrast by using elements that create a striking difference in your interiors. The drama keeps your interiors from looking bland. Colours are the best options to create a contrasting look. A rule of thumb is to contrast a large area, like say, a neutral wall, with a brightly coloured accent piece, like a bright orange or red armchair.

Cohesion

Build harmony among the elements in the room so nothing feels out of place. When you follow the focal point and design around it, the colours, patterns, shapes, and styles will come together in  a common theme and rhythm. Lamps, handles, trims, textiles, and everything else should create a balance, so use the details to bring the room to life and make a big impact.

Now that you understand the basic design principles, it is time for a stocktake. Assess the décor and furnishings you own and decide what will stay and what should go. Let go of anything outdated or no longer useful. Carefully measure the room, include furnishings that will remain, and the spaces any new items will fill. Make a list of the new furniture and décor you will require to complete the design.

Decorating with a monochromatic palette
If you are a zealous minimalist, by all means, go with the monochromatic palette. It makes your job easy and effective if you choose to go all white and black with Bauhaus Black. To bring in a little drama, you can use different shades and tones of the colour, include furnishings with prints, and add some texture to the furniture.

Decorating with a complimentary colour palette

The contrasting colour palette works well for most interiors. Two colours with opposite intensities bouncing off each other can create a good balance. You can also contrast using a cool colour with a warm colour. For example, a room painted in a Lost Jacket blue can be brought to life with bursts of Golden Lights yellow.

Decorating with an analogous colour palette

If you are more comfortable choosing a colour of the same warmth and hue, this is your palette. It is easy to achieve a cohesive look by choosing colours from the same family throughout your interiors. If you decide on  Summer Yellow Sun yellow as the primary colour, add Roman Holiday orange and Pink Sky pink for rhythm. The furnishings and fixtures will help you complete the look.

Let's help you zero in on colour

So, let's take a step back and understand how to choose the right colour for your interiors. Before you walk into a paint store, explore design ideas for colour inspiration. During the stocktake, what did you choose to hold on to? Use these items to build your colour palette. Browse through Instagram, Pinterest, blogs, magazines, and interior stores to seek inspiration. Look through and choose your palette — monochromatic, complimentary, or analogous. Now, decide on the colours.