Styling by Greenhouse Interiors. Photography by Annette O'Brien.
Australian homewares brand Sage X Clare’s new season collection has arrived, and we’re loving the clever use of colour – bright pops combined with pastels.
We talked to stylist Julia Green about how to introduce colour into your own home.
“Colour can work wonders in a space, and set the mood and tone as well. It’s all about knowing when to turn the dial up or down with colour, and learning companion colours so that it feels considered and not a chaotic mess.”
“Colour is a stylist’s greatest ally and tool in the kit,” stylist Julia Green.
Tip 1
If you want to use one colour predominantly, layer it up with texture. This is what will give the colour its depth and interest.
Tip 2
Take your colour cues from an artwork in the space, so that you can be sure it all ties back. This subliminal unity will make the space feel whole, whereas if you try and introduce too many other colours outside of those cues, it may look disjointed.
Tip 3
If you are uncertain about how to combine colours, reach for the Pantone app, as it will help you find companion colours. It takes the science out of the exercise ensuring they all work together by spelling it out for you. It’s a great tool not only for the colour lovers but also decorating novices.
Tip 4
It’s good to aim for no more than two to three main colours within a space, and introduce small hints of others. Our eye likes to focus on some block colour, and when it is too busy, it struggles to take it all in.
Tip 5
Ask yourself how you want to feel in the space, and select the colour accordingly. For instance, if it’s a bedroom you are decorating and you are keen to create a relaxed vibe, avoid the brighter spectrum of colour and opt for softer, quieter tones instead. The reverse can be said for living rooms, where you may wish to liven the space up with energy and colour, in which case you can turn up the dial! Colour is all about emotion and so tapping into it is vital to get the mood right for your space.
Tip 6
Foliage, flowers, and cushions are the finishing touches when decorating spaces, and add those ‘pops’ of colour to a space to make it come alive. If you opt for affordable ones, you can change it up regularly and revamp the space for little outlay. If you are budget-conscious, select good neutral pieces of furniture, and accessorise with colour as it’s more inexpensive to do it that way. If budget is no issue, and a hot pink velvet couch takes your fancy, go crazy.
To find out how to layer your bed like a stylist – with Sage & Clare‘s Phoebe Bell – click here.
