Let's talk about colour

One aspect of interior design that is showing no signs of disappearing is the use of neutral colours, with most people preferring to keep a neutral background rather than introducing major colour. I often choose ‘timeless white’ when looking for a crisp, clean colour, but with a hint of softness. White offers the perfect blank canvas, especially if you’re a little uncertain about introducing more colour into your scheme. Black and white go together like gin and tonic and is a trend that never seems to date plus it’s easy to spice up a monochrome scheme with colour (Pantone’s colour of the year is a peachy orange and accessorising with these colours feels summery and fresh.) I also love darker colours in a home and Dulux’s mudlark and darker griege colours work especially well in new builds where there is so much light (check out Stonebridge’s Carnoustie show home as shown above).

Love them or hate them, florals have been around for a long time and a feature wall in a floral wallpaper can look stunning in a lounge or bedroom (we often think of florals as being very colourful, but they can be just one or two colours.)

Metallics have been on trend for a while and copper, silver and gold are all popular and it looks like tin will also enter the mix. Tin is light and flexible and offers a rustic/vintage look.

Going with the neutral theme, earthy hues are making a comeback, and greens and clay tones are the perfect choice for those looking for ‘easy to live with’ colour.

Our love affair with the great outdoors isn’t disappearing anytime soon. House plants and succulents help bring the outside in, but if you’re not that green fingered, there are some excellent fake flowers around.

Not for the feint hearted, 3D and geometric patterns can look fabulous on a feature wall and add real drama, and tiling is a big trend for using in rooms other than kitchen and bathroom, try a feature wall in your lounge for example.

Scandinavian design is still in vogue and focuses on clean, simple lines and minimalism. It’s a great look if you like your life to be uncluttered. Monochrome and pastel colours typify this style, yet ‘colourful’ Scandi is becoming more popular for those wanting to perk things up a little.

Catherine, Interior Designer, Bert and Wills