We spend a lot more time at home than we used to, so why not use some of it to elevate your spaces and promote a positive mindset.
Lift your spirits with confident patterns and colours in your home. Here’s our guide to creating a life-enhancing space.
Deciding which patterns and colours to use is pretty personal and can be daunting. To help you get started, stylist and fashion editor, Erica Davies suggests creating a mood board “virtual or actual – and keep going back to it to identify which colours and patterns are jumping out the most.” There are no strict rules to follow here, it’s about finding your pathway. Don’t be afraid to experiment with textures, patterns and periods. As you swap in and out, a clearer picture should emerge of the style you truly love.
It can be tempting to strip back your creativity and focus on a plain palette, possibly pastels, especially if you’re preparing your home for sale. That can work but you only need a few colours to truly bring a room to life. John Lewis & Partners in-house designer Melanie Archer proposes basing your choices on nostalgia “Colours that are familiar are growing in importance at the moment because they’re comforting, safe and reassuring” Try exploring a colour scheme that feels authentic to you.
Attempting to make a small or dark room brighter, by going for a bright white look can end up feeling cold. Instead, use bold or dark colours to make the room feel cosy. Rich browns can be great for making a space feel warm and welcoming. If you want a room to feel upbeat, research suggests that warmer tones of red, pink, orange and yellow are associated with optimism and positivity.
Make subtle changes
It can be tempting to just buy an entire look all at once, but letting a room evolve over time can be far more rewarding. Keep an eye out by using tools like Pinterest and add the pieces you really want when you come across them. “There’s no pressure to get it right the first time because creating a space should be a process and it should be fun!” says Erica. Try bringing colour in through furniture, pictures and accessories.
Focus on social areas
Deciding on the best paint colours can be a challenge, especially in the living room. It’s the main social space, where you spend the most time bonding with your loved ones. Try going for a shade that impresses you each time you enter the room. Carefully selected colours can help exaggerate the size of the space while making it feel more inviting and comfortable.
Keep consulting your mood board and have a go at choosing decor that not only compliments you but also fits with each different room “Think about how the colours relate from one room to the next and use ones that are tonally the same, so there’s a good flow between rooms,” says Interior Designer, Sarah Brown. Hallways also provide an opportunity to exhibit artwork, creating moments of intrigue as you flow through your property.