5 interior designer tricks for adding colour into your interior

This is one of the easiest ways to achieve instant colour, and it isn’t permanent – meaning you can experiment and change the colour palette if it isn’t working for you or the space.

One of interior designer Bridget Foley’s tips is to start small. “Even in my own home,” she says, “I tend to have everything quite neutral but then I’ve added colour through cushions and an ottoman – you can have a ‘wow factor’ fabric that’s colourful or textured, but is just used on a small piece because it's much easier to change your cushions in a few years than it is to change your whole sofa.”

Designer Celia Visser suggests a similar approach: “If you haven’t used colour much before, start with highlights in accessories that can be changed without too much expense.”

However, she recommends not simply choosing your favourite colours.

“People often think if I love a colour and wear it often it will work in my home, this isn’t always the case as you change clothes daily but with our rooms we want the colour to enjoy for a long time,” she says. “Use colour like most things: in odd numbers so it doesn’t overwhelm the space; bring a colour into three items.”

For those who are having trouble deciding on a colour scheme for home decor, interior designer Lulu Wilcox suggests to her clients to take a seasonal approach: “Perhaps using deep, rich colour throughout the winter months, and something lighter and brighter through spring and summer. You never know what styles you may love until you try.”

Lulu Wilcox says adding a bold original art piece to a space is also a great way to inject colour. Whether it’s a contemporary abstract artwork by Jody Hope Gibbons, or a resin painting by Rae West, there are many local artists with stunning pieces to choose from.

Similar to home décor pieces, artworks and sculptures can be easily moved around to quickly change the look of a space. 

“Art is so personal,” says JKW Interior Architecture & Design's Janice Kumar-Ward. “This often reflects your own intuitive love of certain colours, so pick wisely and move it around your home for instant change. Layer with great lighting as artworks can take on a whole new vibe at night.”

If you’re wanting to take colour to the next level, though, many interior designers suggest experimenting with paint colours.

“If you’re unsure of colour, make up some really large samples and put them in the room you are thinking of painting. You could also just paint directly onto the wall,” says Material Creative designers Liv Patience and Toni Brandso.

“It can be hard to tell from a small sample just how the colour will look and the light in every house is different, so get yourself a few different variations of the colour and do swatches on the wall before progressing.”

By taking a similar approach to adding colour through home decor, though, Bridget Foley reminds homeowners that not every wall needs a coat of colour: “Painting a wall in a room is a lot easier than painting the whole house, so you can be brave with trying a bold colour in a small TV room or even the guest loo because you can easily repaint it.”

Of course, incorporating colour into your home doesn’t have to mean painting walls bright colours or adding colourful patterned throw rugs to each room; muted tones are also effective in bringing depth and interest to a space.

“Don’t be afraid of colour – look to nature, colour is everywhere and nature would be such a different place if we didn’t have colour,” says interior designer Celia Visser.

Janice Kumar-Ward suggests that when opting for a neutral colour palette to ensure it’s a quality finish and has layers within the palette. “Add in warm whites, beiges and camels with texture – for instance, in your soft furnishings – with a warmer white on the walls again. Always observe these at night, as even the warmest of grey tones can feel cold on a bleak day,” she says.

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Words by Cassie Birrer