Colours in Interior Design

When we say ‘Colour’, our mind wanders into a palette of different colours. Colours, light and dark, vibrant and pale, all sorts of them give different signals to our brain. Each colour has a meaning attached to it.

Different colors have different effects on the human mind and a combination of colours can work wonders. Few colours can be used as ‘accents’. Accents are colours used in small quantities to accentuate the ambiance of the room. Here are some colours which can be used on your walls, drapes and furniture. Their meanings will help you select where to use these colours.

Red is the colour of bravery and believed to carry good luck. It is a very popular and important colour in Asian societies. It is always seen on the walls in Chinese restaurants. A red wall in the house entrance suggests boldness. Red should not be used for a bedroom as it increases your heart rate, and what you usually want to do in your bedroom is relax and sleep. But red can be used in the living room walls or on sofas and drapes with a white backdrop.

Blue is a cool colour. It is quite calming and great for using in bathrooms and bedrooms. It can be teamed up with white, beige or yellow.

Orange is a warm and happy colour. It can be used for old people's homes and institutions as it is an anti depressant and decreases hostility and irritability. It makes you feel cheerful. Orange is a great colour to use as an accent. Throw around some bright orange cushions to brighten up a dull room or put some orange flowers in a vase for a lively room. You may use textured orange as a feature wall to create a focal point. Using colour in small amounts is a nice way to introduce strong hues into your home.

Yellow- think of it and you start feeling vibrant already. There are many meanings for the colour yellow, the most obvious ones being sunny, warm and radiant. Various shades of yellows to use are the ochre yellows, muddy yellows and antique golds. They have their own personality and go very well with timber furniture. Yellow is a great colour for painting your bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways, in fact you can use yellow almost everywhere. A deep shade of yellow for a dining room is also known to help digestion. Yellow is a positive color and useful in teenager's bedrooms or studies as it sharpens the memory and is good for studying. Yellow is fabulous for retail shops because of its eye catching and welcoming virtue. Too much yellow in a room may cause hostility, so ensure that you break it up with accent colours like white, black or red.

Green is associated with wealth. It is a cool colour and is known to calm actors before they go on the stage to perform, and that’s the reason behind the name ‘green room’. It can be used in bedrooms and bathrooms due to its soothing properties. It does not reflect well on skin and hence should not be used in beauty salons or apparel stores.

Purple or violet is not used frequently. But it can do wonders if used in small amounts in your bedroom as it relieves stress. It signifies royalty and spirituality

Black signifies mystery, drama and sophistication. It can be used in combination with white or red to create a great wall. It is best used to conceal something. A matt black paint will make anything disappear.

White signifies purity. It is quite refreshing in hot weather as it reflects heat. It is also an indicator of cleanliness and hygiene. This is because dirt is easily seen on white and has to be cleaned immediately. Due to this white is used in kitchens and bathrooms. White also makes a small space look large and so it should be used if a room is too small in size.

To see various colour combinations used in home decor check www.dimensionsarchitects.in

A cool home

Every season has its mood and flavour. Seasonal decorating can be fun and challenging, so pre-plan and get ready for a bit of seasonal change. When we think of summer, all we can see is clutter, heat and tired faces. What is required is a refreshing change which can be achieved by a slight change in our homes.

Summer demands a cool and cosy look. Maintain fewer items in your room, as it will make it look bigger and provide an open space for air to flow. Keep the windows open for cool and airy effect and remove all dark coloured stuff.

Glass should be used as much as possible as it gives a feeling of openness so necessary in the summer. Wood can also be used. Wrought iron can be used as a base for tables with glass top. In fact the age old khas khas mats and chataais are the best bet to cool your home. You can even introduce a floor seating arrangement and a soft mattress with pastel coloured bed sheets at a corner of the hall. Leather sofas and steel furniture should be avoided as it gets too hot in summers.

Do away with the synthetic curtains, thick and dark upholstery. Cotton is the best fabric for upholstery during summer. Use pastel shades like lemons, powder blues pinks and whites to cool your senses.

Another way of doing up your drapes is by using a soft sheer cotton curtain and a linen curtain together. During mornings and evenings, the linen curtains could be pulled up to let the breeze cool your home. Similarly, linen curtains can be drawn in the afternoons to avoid hot sunrays from entering the house. Another smart and eco-friendly option is bamboo or chik blinds that can be easily rolled up when not required. Soft cotton and jute furnishings are ideal summer wear for sofas.

Cool colours definitely make you feel cool in summers. Walls can be tinted white or fresh green, in yellow or blue, in subdued or muted tones to maintain the ralxing effect. Shades of aqua, blue or green can be used in the bedroom. The childern’s room and liing room can have bright shades like yellow and pink.

Summer is the perfect time to place plants inside the house. Place them at the entrance of the hall or corners to make a refreshing change in your home interiors. Lots of plants should be used in summers as they give out oxygen in the process of photosynthesis. Indoor plants like money plants which are low maintenance can be used. Flowering plants with fragrant flowers like lilies and jasmines can be refreshing. Ixoras can be potted to add colour as the flower in summer.

Use white and blue iridescent accent lights. Change your yellow casting light bulbs with cooler daylight mimicking light bulbs. Look for bulbs that simulate natural daylight, the healthiest eye source for the human eye with reduced eye strain.

So this season give your house a makeover and see it will also enlighten your mood and bring magic.

For more of such cool ideas visit us at www.dimensionsarchitects.in