Do you know what my favourite interior design tool is? It’s colour! And I love it because it gives me total freedom to create identity, mood, harmony and fun regardless of budget. It’s also, I believe, the most powerful design tool available to everyone as it can be used in any room and in any surroundings, ranging from modest homes to the most luxurious interiors.
Colour is also the foundation of every room’s atmosphere, and by choosing the right colours for your home, you can transform it without major investment.
Top tips for choosing your home’s best paint colours
Choosing paint colours for your home is always exciting, but before you make any decisions, it’s important to know which direction your home, and all your individual rooms face. Because light is the element that allows a colour to fully express itself and it’s this quiet collaboration between a light source (natural or electric) and a paint’s pigment that reveals a colour’s depths and changes a room’s mood throughout the day.
This is also the reason why you should never choose a paint colour based on how it looks online or in a showroom as, once painted in your own home, it will always look and feel totally different.
North-facing rooms
For example, in north-facing rooms, warmer tones work best and in my experience, this type of room naturally lends itself to darker shades as the lack of sunlight allows the colours to feel exquisitely rich rather than overwhelming. Using darker shades of paint across your woodwork, walls and/or ceiling is also a quick and easy way to give your room an intimate, cosy feel.
I personally love paint made by COAT Paints as it’s a climate-friendly company that takes a thoughtful and simplified approach to choosing colour, focusing not just on style, but on how natural light shapes the room throughout the day. It also has super easy-to-use, peel-and-stick, paint samples, so you can move your samples around your room to get a proper feel for how they will look on each wall, without causing any damage or leaving you with a rainbow of colourful paint splodges.
South-facing rooms
South-facing rooms are my delight, as it’s so easy to decorate them. They get strong and warm natural light all day, which makes colours look brighter. This gives you ‘carte blanche’ as the space within southern-facing rooms always feels kissed by the sun, glowing from morning to evening. So, it’s not so much about deciding on a colour, it’s about choosing the atmosphere your heart wants to come home to.
If you want to create a calm environment, go for greens and blues, for cosy, choose warm earthy tones, for neutral, pick a variation of white and for a bold experience, go with deep and rich colours.
East and west-facing rooms
Light doesn’t just enter east and west-facing rooms, it ebbs and flows to help the space tell a story that changes each hour. So, the secret to choosing the right colour for this type of room, is to take the time to observe and understand that rhythm. If you want your rooms to always have that fresh, restful new morning feel, even in the afternoon, indulge in the beautiful palettes of warm neutrals, blush pinks, delicate peaches and gentle greens of Farrow and Ball.
Finding your colour inspiration
We’re all subconsciously drawn to certain colours and a great way to work out which colours instantly make you feel warm, safe, happy or inspired is to scan your rooms, look at your artwork and the accessories you already own and find the colours that resonate with you. This is the start of your new story.
For example, a beautiful deep crimson in a painting can find an echo in a wonderful linen cushion placed on an armchair across the room, in the detailed trim of a lampshade or a beloved artifact. These subtle repetitions instigate a conversation between objects and suddenly the room becomes balanced, thoughtful and complete.
Curiosity and confidence
Curiosity and confidence are the two most important ingredients when working with colour on a budget. So, to begin, imagine your room is a huge blank canvas and you are the painter – mix, match, layer and experiment, just let yourself go and see what happens. With experience, the use of colour and even the smallest budget can create a space that feels bold, elegant and truly yours.
Colour is magic, and exquisite, coloured textiles are the quiet heroes of budget design, for instance, imagine in your mind’s eye just how much a throw in a vivid shade can instantly revive an old sofa. Architectural features, such as skirting boards, radiators, and alcoves can also be highlighted with a contrasting colour to elevate a room character at small cost. And painting the back panel of a bookcase will add interest and depth and create a design feature of something usually seen as practical storage. I also love arranging my client’s books by colour to turn their bookshelves into an art installation, where suddenly the books double as décor, filling a wall with colour, texture and personality at no expense.
Personal storytelling through colour
If you want your home to be unique to you, use colour intentionally to express your personality and tell your personal story. Choose colours that you love and please your eyes instead of following trends and passing fashions.
Curate your own palette around things that are dear to you. It might start with your favourite coffee table book, a stunning artwork picked up on holiday or a beautiful crochet throw handed down from a dear relative. Those fragments of memories carry their own palette and when echoed subtly across the room through textiles, paint and accessories create a space truly individual and layered.
When you design meaningfully, your budget will go further.
Colour can quietly and magically transform your home on a shoestring to create a calm, soothing haven, or you can also use it to create drama, fun, and interest. In fact, when you have a tiny budget, a bold splash of hue is the easiest way to inject a little fun and personality into your home without breaking the bank. But if the thought of using bold colour scares you, start small with something you love. Such as a colourful duvet cover or that fuchsia pink and orange lampshade that makes you smile every time you see it.
A room’s structure may define its boundaries, but colour defines its spirit, just as a person is remembered for the energy they bring and not just for their outline. Make sure you pick the right paint to allow your room to sing.
About Carole
Carole Coleman is a French, City and Guilds qualified interior designer based in West Sussex. Through Carole Coleman Designs, she combines budget-conscious solutions with a strong sense of style to help her clients create homes that truly reflect who they are. Whether it’s by upcycling furniture or working with limited resources, Carole’s expertise proves that beautiful and elegant living spaces are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget.
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