Colour Scheming Your Home

What colours do you hate to be associated with? What colours bring you zero joy? What colours make your blood boil? And what colours conjure up negative experiences and feelings? On the contrary, what colours absolutely make your day? What colours adorn your wardrobe? What colours make you lighten up, liven your mood and lift your spirits? And what colours speak to your soul? These are the questions you first need to ask yourself before embarking on any colour scheming journey.

Your home is you haven and everything about it should fully represent that. Though colour is one of the last things considered when putting together a design concept, it has the highest bearing on the success or total failure of a space. After all, your space is an extension of your inner being and any misalignment will result in an off or iffy experience. Do note that colour scheming in this context just doesn’t apply to the choice of colours that go on your walls or ceilings, but to everything featured in a space. From the flooring, type and tile design, trim and moulding detail, furniture and fittings, soft furnishings like area rugs, drapery and accent cushions to the appliances and electronics, kitchenware and the artwork plus décor pieces adorning each space. Colour is all around us and we are constantly consuming it.

So how do you go about making sure every detail of your space totally speaks to you and is in perfect alignment with your inner core?

For starters, don’t rush to follow fads or trends

These come and go, changing every now and then, while you are stuck in your space for years at the very least. What looked absolutely stunning one season may be at the bottom of the barrel the next, but what spoke to your soul from the get go, will not easily waver. You’ll soon find yourself regretting why you never listened to your gut and went with a colour scheme that best represented you.

Try understanding the energy each colour gives off beforehand

With some colours working better for certain spaces as opposed to others, understanding the energy they give off beforehand will enable you make sound decisions regarding the best setting for your desired colour choices. Colours you love because of how they relax and calm you down to the point of initiating sleep will be counterproductive when placed in the study or library while colours that liven you up will definitely not be ideal for a bedroom setting.

Be careful not to overdo it

Yes, it’s your favourite colour, but overdoing it will not bring you the desired effects, feelings and experiences. Having the same colour feature everywhere on everything in every space is overkill, it won’t be long before your favourite colour starts to bore you and soon after dampen your mood. Instead, consider a theme that you’re comfortable with. For instance, you can contrast it in one space, complement it in another, and tone or shade it in yet another space. That way, even though your favourite colour still features, there are several other aligned palettes speaking to you.

Lastly, take your time

Don’t be in a hurry, this isn’t a marathon that you are running to win, this is your haven that you are purposefully creating. You won’t win a prize for finishing first but you will definitely be shooting yourself in the foot for going with a colour scheme that’s misaligned with you. Like I said, take your time, your home isn’t going anywhere but your peace of mind surely will.

With that in mind, colour scheming your home will now be a walk in the park. But should you, however, still need a sounding board, feel free to reach out to us. We are literally a call away.

Till next time…Baraka Tele

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Fiona Odhiambo

Fiona Odhiambo

FIONA is the Principal and Lead Designer of Phi Interior Designers Ltd. With a passion for design and the world of interiors, service and mentorship, she has over a decade's experience in building consultancy, interior architectural design, project management and business administration

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