Break away from boring

From the Resene decorating blog

Introducing a few bright bolds may be just the thing your space needs to liven things up.

In celebration of International Colour Day (21 March), we’re challenging you to look beyond white walls when decorating your home – and given the wide spectrum of bold bright colours trending at the moment, it shouldn’t be hard to find a hue that you’re drawn to.

Whether you have a yearning for yellow, a passion for pink, or are keen on green, the key to making any colour work in your home is to pick something that you really truly love. Here are some courageously colourful combinations to inspire you to pick up a paintbrush and say goodbye to boring.

Red + Blue + Pink + Grey

With walls in Resene Salsa and Resene Unwind and a painted floor in Resene Chalk Dust, this look in this lounge could not be more on trend right now – and it’s a perfect example for how bold, bright colours can be used to frame a neutral space. The side table in Resene Poppy and sideboard in Resene Dawn Chorus echo the red wall and pink furnishings and accessories in Resene Salsa and Resene Alabaster finish the look.

top tip: Before you commit to a colour, you can get a feel for it by painting a large swatch onto cardboard with a Resene testpot, leaving an unpainted border around the edge. Move it from wall to wall to check how it looks in different lighting and pay attention to how the colour makes you feel before coming to a decision.

Navy + Mustard + Turquoise + Charcoal

Cloudy greys and moody blues are layered sky high in this sophisticated master bedroom, while brass details and an ochre velvet chair provide a touch of warmth to balance out this space, creating a perfect place to hibernate during the temperamental winter weather that’s sure to come. The bold bedside table in Resene Wishing Well and white accents in in Resene Poured Milk help keep the dark and stormy tongue-in-groove panelling in Resene King Tide from overpowering.

top tip: If you’re going for bright or bold, try to keep fussy fabric patterns to a minimum so that the colours are the ones doing the talking, or the space could get a bit noisy. Try textured fabric instead, like a velvet or woven knit.

Aqua + Lilac + Mint + Grey

If you’re nervous about covering an entire room in a bold shade, think about trying it in what is likely your smallest room of all – the bathroom. If your tastes change, it’ll take less effort to repaint than larger spaces. Architectural features like a wainscoting lend themselves well to bold colours, like this paneling and trim in Resene Yes Please. Accessories in pretty pastels like Resene Kandinsky and Resene Meditation play off the lilac duck mat and tray table in Resene Mozart and the warm grey timber floors in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash keep the crisp white fixtures from making the space feel cold.

top tip: Not all dark or bold colours automatically make a small room feel smaller – it depends more on the lighting and what base the hue has. Ask to see some shades that have a cool base at your local Resene ColorShop, which can actually help make walls recede.

Orange + Yellow + Terracotta + Peach

Despite this deep orange being a strong colour, it is surprisingly adaptable. However, if it’s your first time trying out a striking shade, it’s a good idea to stick to just one colour and add-on less-vibrant layers until you reach the right intensity. The wall is in Resene Twisted Sister while the accessories are in softer, more muted shades such as a short round vase in Resene Thumbs Up, a small bowl in Resene Moonlight, a tall angular vase in Resene Yuma and a table bowl in Resene Crowdpleaser. The sideboard they sit on is painted in Resene Swiss Caramel and the chair is in Resene Moccasin.

top tip: If you want to take the guesswork out of finding shades to layer with your bold selection, start with the Resene The Range fashion colours fandeck. Each page in the fandeck features colours that work well together. On the back of each colour, you’ll find complementary colour suggestions to help get you started.

March 15, 2019

Visit your local Resene ColorShop for more colour ideas and all the expert advice and products you need for a superb finish on all your decorating projects.

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