A beginner’s guide to bringing colour into your home

If your home is in need of some cheering up but you don’t know where to begin, take our advice and introduce things slowly for a quietly colourful home.

If you typically shy away from brights, but crave some colour in your home, we’ve some clever ways to introduce new hues with varying degrees of commitment. Dusky pinks and soft blues pair perfectly with hazy greys and are an ideal starting point for the colour-shy. Read on for 7 easy ideas…

Art

A mistake so many people make is to choose art that matches their home, rather than art they love. Room colour palettes come and go but if you buy something you fall hard for, you’ll always be able to make it work because it’s reflective of your taste rather than passing trends.

Glen with sky sweep by Sue Montgomery

Feature Wall

Forget metallic flocks and overdone damasks, a feature wall can be contemporary and will make a big impact if you go bold. Geometric is a great way to go, or if historical is more your style, follow the Victorians and use contrasting colours above and below dado and picture rails.

Fired Earth

Paint

It may be the obvious solution, but don’t limit yourself to a single shade. Just as the eye does not see colours in isolation, the whole room needs to be considered. This grey-pink pairs well with dark greys and natural finishes. Step back from your wall paint and look for ancillary colours for wood, ceilings and floor before making firm decisions.

Farrow & Ball

Seating

Whether it is in our living room, dining room, kitchen or home office, we spend the majority of our time sitting! Adding pops of colour is easy through stools, cushions and throws.

Finnish Design Shop

Plants

An easy way to instantly add colour is to fill your home with plants and fresh flowers. Vibrant greens of succulents and cacti are a welcome contrast against both white and colourful walls.

Anna Salvador

Tableware

With a wealth of ceramic talent in Ireland, we’re spoilt for choice. Add colour to your mealtime with oh-so-pretty bowls from KaroArt.

KaroArt