Hebel Matters

How to choose the right colour scheme for your home – let’s ask an expert!

Hebel sat down with Dulux’s Colour and Communications Manager, Andrea Lucena-Orr, and discussed the best ways to choose the right colour scheme for your home and reignite your love and passion for home and hearth.

Picking one paint colour can be tricky, so understandably it can be overwhelming when considering a colour palette that will suit your entire home. Through these simple 5 tips, navigate the process of selecting colours, gather some inspiration and maybe a little courage to tackle your own walls.

Dulux – RESET, Artwork: Womens Business II – Limited Edition Print by Natalie Jade, Greenhouse Interiors. Morning Pool Limited Edition Print by Charlotte Taylor, Greenhouse Interiors.

 

Choosing a colour has to be for you

Colour can have an immediate effect on mood. It’s a powerful thing and you want to choose something that reflects your personality and lifestyle, and makes you feel good when you come home. Lucena-Orr remarks, “ultimately, choosing a colour has to be for you. You can ask friends and family however, at the end of the day, they’re not living in your house and so it is quite a personal decision.”

 

Consider where your home is placed on the block

It’s important to consider the aspect of the home and where your home is sited on the block as this will vary your light levels, and light is a very important factor of colour. Lucena-Orr suggests, “As an example, you may want your dining room to remain light and bright however, if the space is facing north-west you will get lots of afternoon light, so it might be best to steer away from a bold yellow. Consider instead, an off white or a grey/beige in this example.”

 

Dulux – RETREAT, Artwork: Artworks by Casey Freeman artist, Greenhouse Interiors

 

Work with your existing finishings and accessories

If you are not going the full monty and buying new furnishings and accessories, another key consideration is to work with your existing ones. Your existing flooring, drapings, benchtops and furniture play a major role in choosing your colour. “Surrounding colour has a big impact on how your overarching scheme works so you have to take that into account” says Lucena-Orr. “To find what works – create and work off a mood board to get a feel for the undertones. When you get to the colour decision stage, get sample pots and paint on cardboard which you can then leave for a few days to see how they look at different times throughout the day.”

 

If you’re not sure where to start with your interiors – start with your bedroom

With your interiors, your bedroom is a great place to begin the journey, especially if you’re scared of colour. “It’s a personal space that’s guarded and you can have your own creation and colour scheme that matches your own tastes and likes.” says Lucena-Orr. “You could go very deep and lush or vibrant and light. You may even want to consider really placid pastels.” Ultimately, the bedroom is for you and serves as a fantastic place to start your colour journey.

 

Dulux – NOURISH, Artwork: Katie Wyatt Artwork, Greenhouse Interiors

 

For your exteriors –the front door can begin your colour journey

For exteriors, having your front door painted is a great place to start. “An orange front door, for example, could make a world of difference” suggests Lucena-Orr. “It may make you feel happy to come home and that it’s truly for you and your family.” Other key starting points could be through little projects that help lift your home, make it yours and reflect your personality. Lucena-Orr recommends adding colour to your pot plants and other exterior accents to get things going, refresh your look, and help “make it your own”.

Lucena-Orr stresses that with exteriors, you may not always have the opportunity to choose what building materials you use this which can ultimately dictate the colours you choose. There may be certain local governance and area caveats that you have to abide by for your exteriors. “Federation homes, modern contemporary homes and weatherboards all have their own unique style” she points out. and colours used tend to be traditional and neutral for simplicity.

Having said this, she points out that colour for exteriors has become a lot less conservative in past 10 years and there are certain colour palettes that have been trending in exteriors which we can take inspiration from. “Darker colours are becoming a lot more common on the Eastern side of country – think: slate greys and chocolate greys with contrasting whites” she says. “These don’t work everywhere. Queensland sees much less of the darker colours and Adelaide has a lot of older, traditional homes, some with sandstone, that work within local caveats such as a heritage overlay.”

 

Do exterior colours need to match your interiors?

In essence, this is not necessary. Choosing a similar colour palette for both the exterior and interior can provide a sense of connection between the two spaces. Having said this, you can pair unlikely colours together as it’s about you and your colour journey.

 

Comeback Trend – Image: Dulux, Photographer: Lisa Cohen, Stylist: Bree Leech, Dulux Colour: Rear Wall – Blue Shell and Front Wall – Undersea
Top feature image of exterior – Dulux Namadji, Photographer: Armelle Habib

 

The beauty of decorating a home with colour is that each space can look and feel distinctive. Whichever way you go, it’s important to keep your undertones the same, work in with your dominant colour and look at colours in natural light. Contact us today to learn more about how Hebel flexible building material options can work within your design process!