Colours hold the power to transform a space. Your personal style, as well as the energy you wish to create, plays an important part in the decisions you make when selecting your interior design palette. Choosing carefully leads to a wonderfully cohesive interior that can help to relax or revitalise.

Grey is out, and while neutral tones offer a calming ambience, incorporating brighter colours can inject vitality and energy into your home. In this guide, we will explore how you can use bolder, brighter hues with confidence, and design a space that radiates warmth and positivity and push back the gloomy transition from Winter to Spring.

Choose a Dominant Colour

When incorporating brighter colours into your interior design scheme, it helps to have a basic understand of colour theory.

Different colours evoke specific emotions and moods in different people, and these can influence our perceptions and behaviours. The colour wheel consists of a rainbow, with one side containing warm tones while the other side containing cooler tones.

Colours on the warmer side of the colour wheel such as yellow, orange, and coral are typically associated with warmth, creativity, and enthusiasm, making them ideal for infusing vitality into your living space. Colours on the cooler side such as greens, blues, and greys inspire relaxation, and are typically viewed as more relaxing than their warm counterparts.

Using this basic understanding of the way colours influence how we feel, you can begin to explore the atmosphere you wish to create and select a dominant colour that works in unison with that intended purpose. Do you want your living room to be a haven of serenity, or an energetic entertainment space? Is your kitchen a vibrant family space to begin the day or a calm area that slowly sets your day in motion? Opt for hues that resonate with your intentions as well as complementing your personal style.

Balance with Neutrals

It’s important to balance brighter colours with a neutral tone to prevent visual overload, and striking a harmonious balance is key to a cohesive design. Pair vibrant hues with neutral tones such as soft greys, crisp whites, or earth tone beiges to create a balanced and inviting space. Neutral tones serve as the perfect contrast, allowing brighter colours to take centre stage while lending a sense of balance and sophistication to your interiors.

Experiment with Accent Pieces

Incorporating brighter colours through accent pieces is a versatile way to infuse personality and flair into your home. Introducing pops of colour through decorative pillows, artwork, or even lighting can elevate a space effectively without the need for a total interior design overhaul. Accent pieces serve as a focal point to your room, adding dimension and charm without overwhelming the senses.

Personalise with Texture and Pattern

Textures play a pivotal role in enhancing the visual impact of colours within your home. Experiment with fabrics, glass, wood, and metals to add depth and dimension. Textured finishes such as brushed metals work beautifully as sockets and switches to create depth, while glass lighting adds style and character. Mix and match metals and materials to create a visual contrast and use textures to break up your space.

Consider Your Lighting

When working with brighter colours, consider how the space will be lit. Natural lighting represents the vibrancy of colours more effectively than artificial lighting, so choosing the right lighting for your space is key. High CRI (Colour Rendering Index) lighting works to represent colours more accurately than low CRI lighting. If you would like to read more about this type of lighting, you can visit our blog ‘What are High CRI Downlights’ to learn more.

For small or dimly lit areas, opt for lighter shades to maximise that sense of openness and brightness. Strategically placed mirrors, and light layering work well to create the illusion of space. Choose High CRI downlights to make the most of your chosen colours, and balance this with a pendant or wall light, and watch as your cosy space comes alive.