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Colour Your Life

Right now life is throwing up hurdles, but there is no better way to bounce back than surrounding ourselves with dazzling colours and dynamic patterns to make our home a happier place.
collage colour
1. Paul Smith
Paul Smith
5.ROMO set 4
Romo
Lotimena.com set 4
Lotimena.com
3 Lotimena.com set 2
Lotimena.com
2. Stella Mc Cartney set 2
Stella McCartney
no4
RolandKlein_1908
Chez Moi in Provence

Colour has a huge impact on our emotions, our physical and spiritual well being.  Our colour choice in clothes, as well as in our home, define who we are, offering a playful form of self expression.  Bold and vivacious, or understated and demure, colour and texture can create an evocative atmosphere that has the power to soothe our mood or uplift our spirits.


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Jane Wachman
For the last few years neutral colours have dominated the colour palettes.  Good news now, as vivid colours are back on-trend.  Grey has given way to a rainbow generation.  Of course, white, neutral, and soft pastels are still around, but we now dare to mix them with bold primaries, offering endless possibilities.
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The WARM TONES
warm tones 1 collage 2
suggest this going across, in between the two sets of 6 pictures
roland collage 1. 2. jpg

Red, Yellow, Orange, Hot Pink and Mauve, are often frightening colours to use. They are associated with sun-drenched hues, fire, exotic spices … They evoke energy.

YELLOW
RED HOT
collage red hot

Red is the colour of blood and fire.  It represents passion, lust, and desire.

It is associated with:

Lipstick
Wine
Tomatoes
Roses
The red carpet


And also:

“ In the Red “
“ Seeing Red
“ Painting the town Red “
“ Red herring “
” Red flag “

Diana Vreeland, The Grande Dame of Fashion, at home HAND WRITTEN SINGLE PIC ACCROSS
Vreeland in her Park Avenue apartment in 1979. The designer, Billy Baldwin, was given the brief to create ‘a garden in hell’
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HOT SPICES

Cayenne, Turmeric, Saffron, Cinnamon, Ginger, Paprika …

collage spices

If you are nervous about these colours, try using small accents first, such as a cushion, a throw or a rug.  A splash of strong colour will warm up a room, exude rich opulence and create drama.

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YELLOW
ABOVE
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IN BETWEEN
Van Gogh room in Arles
yellow collage
BELOW Claude Monet’s kitchen in Geverny
Claude Monet’s kitchen in Geverny

YELLOW, the colour of sunshine, symbolises hope, energy and happiness


Think:

“ Yellow ribbons “
“ Mellow Yellow “
“ Les Gilets Jaunes “  have been front page news in France in recent                          
months (not so happy)

Lemon, Grapefruit, Bananas, Sun Flowers, Daffodils, Mimosa, Lichen, Mustard …

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MAUVE
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purple 5
purple 4
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purple 1
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purple 3
purple 2
The COLD TONES
BLUE
blue
Yves Klein Blue painting
BLUE represents the sky and the sea. It is associated with peace and tranquillity. Therefore it’s especially suitable for rooms to relax in. Cool arctic blue offers a simple, understated feel, while rich tones of inky indigo and cobalt create a dramatic ambience.
blue 1
in between the other pics , and say “ The Simple Life
The Simple Life
blue 2 collage
But, blue can be easily warmed up, mixed with warm materials – a wooden floor, a brick wall, a velvet sofa or a leather chair.
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Because it visually enlarges a space, it is often especially recommended for small spaces, like bathrooms, kitchen, loos, attics …
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For drama, use a warm colour as contrast – burgundy, red, shocking pink, orange, sharp green, yellow, turquoise, or soft pastels.
BLUE associations: See my BLUE post
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GREEN
green 2. lotimena.com
Lotimena.com
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green 2,.
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green 1
green 2..
green 3
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green 5
large chez moi in provence
Chez moi in Provence
GREEN radiates life, nature, renewal, and energy. Unrivalled by any other colour, it inspires a vigorous environment that encourages a feeling of tranquillity and serenity.
Green is understood to be the most restful and relaxing of all colours.
Blame the climate crisis or the carbon footprint, but Green has been a hot topic recently, and fashion is always a reflexion of what’s going on in the world, be it politics, art, culture or commerce, and interior design trends often follow fashion trends. Green is cool.
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Different shades of Green:
large pic
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Emerald, Sea Green, Forest, Apple, Olive, Lime, Mint, Chartreuse …
Meanings associated with GREEN

“Green fingers“
“Green pastures“
“The grass is Greener“
“Green Revolution”
“Green room”

“Green with Envy”

“Green Parties”

“Green Card”

“Green Salad”

 

PASTELS
See my post La Vie en Rose
pastels 1
colours
Molly Goddard
Pastel hues embody serenity, restful and a calming haven
COLOUR COMBINATIONS
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Andy Warhol
Opposites attract one another. But keep a palette of no more than four colours in a room, and make sure that one of them is white, neutral, or black, which will provide a balance to the others. Also remember, it is easier to associate a warm colour to a cold one than two hot colours.
Here are some of my favourites colour combinations:
Yellow/ Turquoise
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3
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2Valentino
Valentino
colours
Green/ Blue
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contrast 1
Mixing Green, Blue and Turquoise together represent nature, calm, and tranquillity.
Pink/Red/ Yellow
YELLOW
colour
Chez moi in Provence
Dare to mix Red, Orange, Yellow, or Hot Pink together to bring drama to a room.
contrast collage
Pairing Pink to Terracotta and Brown adds strength.
Pink with soft Grey, Silver and White becomes dusty and romantic.
Blue / Red/ Yellow
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colour rooms
Valentino
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valentino
Pink / Red
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Zandra Rhodes at home LARGE
Zandra Rhodes at home
Givenchy
Givenchy
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I love Pink and Red together. It has an exotic feel.
Navy Blue and White create a nautical palette, associated with holidays by the sea and sailing.
But the list is endless. There are no rules. Try various combinations. Be daring and the end result might surprise you.
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PANTONE
PANTNE I suggest putting the text on the sidE
What is Pantone?
PANTONE is the worldwide leader for the supply of colours, for selecting, presenting, specifying, and communicating colours.
PANTONE is the most widely used system for colour communication in the arts industry, as well as fashion, textiles, architecture and interior design.
Whether you are a designer, a manufacturer, a consultant, or simply a client, PANTONE can be used to communicate precise colour to any corner of the world.
Happy Decorating!
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