Setting the Tone

Bold colours 101: how to combine contrasting colours into your interior design

The sun is out and after a long, rather stressful winter what better way to celebrate the return of spring than with an interior overhaul using bold colours. Stepping away from the safe and trusted colour scheme of magnolia can for some, be a little daunting, so here we show you how to combine bold colours into your interiors for different occasions and effects.

Pair Complimentary (or Opposite) Colours

Normally, when paired, opposite colours look nice to the eye. Blue and orange, purple and mustard yellow, as well as magenta and green, are some good examples.

Create a perfect spring living room by choosing one main colour and then add details with the complementary colour. This is an easy way to explore bold colours in your interior.

Pair Similar Colours In Order to Create a Gradient Look

Choose a colour that you love and explore its neighbours! One good way to do this is by exploring a light bold colour and building up to the boldest version in the details.

Mix Textures with Bold Colours

Another way to create a balanced-out bold look is by sticking with the same patterns or mix them, depending on what effect you are trying to achieve.

For example an animal effect rug or cushion paired with a contracting effect such as this mellow yellow zebra print creates dimension. But sometimes, choosing one texture can create balance—this way you are able to play with more bold colours.

Use the 60-30-10 Rule

This rule looks complicated, but it really is very easy to apply when using bold colours. It basically teaches to create a colour palette with three colours, being one the dominant (60% of the room), the other the secondary (30% of the room), and the last one just to spice it up with some accents (10% of the room).

This can be achieved very easily by having navy walls, pillows, bed frame, and blankets, then mixing it with a white ceiling and bedsheets and duvet, and finally sprinkling it with some gold photo frames and vases.

Warm vs. Cool Colours

Purple and mustard yellow are a great way to create this mix of warm and cool tones. Warm colours are orange, red, yellow, cream, and beige; while blue, green, and grey are cool blending these opposing colour schemes can be fun and at times creates a striking and daring look.

Highlight Bold Colours with White

White walls, for instance, always light up any room and highlight bold-coloured details. But the same goes for a navy wall and white details. And in the mix, you can even add a bit of mustard yellow or candy red.