Colour can have a big impact on how we feel in both the clothes we wear and in our homes. In our blog this month we wanted to explore the theory of colour, how colours make you feel and share some tips to consider when working on your next window dressing project. The overall interior scheme and our fabric choices will influence the look of a room, but the colour choice, tone and lighting will play a part as well. For example, if you are updating a bedroom, you might wish to use neutrals for a calming effect or darks to help block out the light. If you are replacing curtains in a sitting room or conservatory, brighter colours will work well to reflect more light into the room, making it feel spacious.
The Basics of Colour Theory
There are several different things to consider when working with colour and some choices to be made, many of which will come down to personal preference. By understanding the colour theory it can help us to understand how colours interact. A colour wheel is a key tool that can help us choose a scheme and a visual representation that showcases the spectrum of colours available. We can break the colours down into several different ways:
Primary colours are defined as red, yellow and blue which cannot be replicated by mixing other colours.
Secondary colours are created by mixing red, yellow and blue together, resulting in such colours as orange, green and purple.
Tertiary colours are when you mix a primary colour to make a secondary colour such as purple, the tertiary colour would then be created by adding white or black to that purple to change the shade.
Complimentary colours are two colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, creating a contrast, examples might include orange and blue, red and green or yellow and purple.
Analogous colours sit side by side on the colour wheel, creating a harmonious effect, examples might include red and purple or blue and green.
Monochrome colours are where one single colour is used but then many different shades are used within the scheme, fabric or design. If you want to create a calming, harmonious environment you may choose from a range of different greens, for example.
Neutral colours such as beige, white, grey, brown and black can also add balance to a colour scheme.
Below is a visual example of what a colour wheel might look like, using Romo fabric samples.
How colours make you feel
Colour can create an emotional response within any interior design or window dressing scheme and the shade used will contribute towards this. As a general rule:
- Red is a bold colour that represents passion or excitement that works well in a dining room as it stimulates conversation.
- Blue makes us think of the sky or ocean and conveys a feeling of peace and calm, it works as a dominant colour for many rooms in the house but is ideal for a bedroom or office.
- Yellow can symbolise the sun and conveys optimism, creativity, happiness and energy, it can work well as an accent colour in window dressings for the kitchen.
- Green often portrays a feeling of calm, peace and tranquillity, it can work well as a dominant colour for a sitting room or bedroom.
- Purple is a sophisticated and mysterious colour, if it is a colour you like, consider it for your main bedroom to create the feeling of luxury.
- Orange can convey optimism and creativity that works well as a contrasting colour with blue or green, especially in a child’s playroom.
- Neutrals can be a good contrast to your scheme, blinds or curtain design.
Tips for choosing the right colour for your next window dressing project
There are many things to consider when choosing a colour for your next window dressing project, we share some ideas to get you started.
- Think about what emotion you wish to create in your chosen space, choose a colour and shade to reflect this.
- Consider who lives in the house, which room the window dressings are featured in and the wider interior design scheme.
- Think about the proportions of the colours used, especially if you have a strong dominant colour, it could be overwhelming. Consider the accent colours in the curtain or blind fabric and how this fits in with your overall scheme.
- Decide if you want the window dressing to blend in or contrast with the design scheme of the room. If you want them to blend, choose a colour that is a shade or two different to the paint or furniture. If you want them to contrast in the room, pick a strong colour.
- Consider the natural and artificial lighting and the impact this has, not only on the room but the colours of the fabric. If the colour tone is dark, it might make the space feel smaller or it might take the colour of the curtains into the room eg: yellow curtains might give the yellow tint.
- If you have a patterned wallpaper in the room, you might consider picking a solid or small print for the curtains to complement.
In summary
We hope that sharing some of our tips on things to look out for when planning colour for your next window dressing design project has been useful. If you would like some help in getting started on your next window dressing project, please get in touch to arrange a FREE initial design consultation. We have a range of exciting, coloured fabrics with a sustainable focus that we would love to share with you.
