WebOctNov17

www.westendermagazine.com | 63
The stories of colour always inspire me and I love the
way we can create new moods in our lives so differently
with little more than a lick of paint. You can make such
a big impact with just a few quids’ worth of paint, it’s
all in the selection of the colour.
I currently live surrounded by crisp white and light
wood. I like it, it’s a change for a while, but we’re not
bedding in. My inclination at this time of the year
however is still to get cosy, go dark, shut the curtains,
put the fire on.
I chatted with Laonie of 1272 Decorating to get some
expert input into the colour conversation. I love her
take on it all – particularly talking about applying
colour in small spaces. I’ve always had really boldly
decorated small rooms everywhere I’ve stayed, just for
fun really, and because I think, if you get the lighting
right – it’s the way to go.
Leonie told me, 'When it comes to small spaces, there's
the temptation to use light tones to give the illusion of
the space being larger. White is often too stark, so an
off-white will feel gentle and warmer. However, unless
there are other features in the room it may feel bland.
Instead, to give the space a wow factor – embrace the
dark side! I have a very small vestibule with little
natural light, but I decided to go really dark, "Farrow
& Ball Downpipe" dark, and the end result is that it is a
space that makes an impression.'
I think this is a great approach and can work well in
this current season. The deep, dark colours are great
backdrops to add some bright warm touches and gear
up for fairy lights at Christmas.
Another key consideration is to think about the
practical usage of each room and match that to the
colour and mood. Leonie told us, 'Depending on the
size of the home, some dining rooms are often only
utilised in the evening. It's important to remember
this when choosing the wall colour, as it will generally
only be seen in unnatural light. Electric bulbs tend
to give off a yellowish light, so this will affect colours,
particularly blues and greys.”
This is a great tip to bear in mind when picking mood
colours in this season.
Leonie adds, 'if you have a lot of artwork to be hung,
choose a colour that is going to complement the pieces,
acting more as a canvas rather than another feature.
© 1272 Decorating
Study the colours within the artwork and choose a tone
that will enhance the paintings. In a room with less
artwork that requires another feature, then choosing a
colour from one of the paintings and creating an accent
wall gives an alternative point of interest”
One thing I always forget about with colour is the
room direction. Sometimes our home can feel like
we’re in various different worlds because of where it’s
situated. We have blinding sunrises in one bedroom in
the morning while another is cosy and dark, and the
vibrant sunsets in the evening knock into our relaxing
time in the living room.
Laonie highlighted this for us. She said, 'if your room
is North facing, these rooms give off cool light so it's
a good idea to avoid cold greys, and instead choose
neutrals with yellow tones. Similar to small spaces, an
attitude could be adopted to embrace the fact that the
room is never going to look bright, and instead choose
dark tones to create a warm and sophisticated space.'
So there’s easy impact to be made in creating a mood
for the season in your home but it’s important to make
a considered choice of colour, and if you’re unsure
there are experts on hand to help.
With thanks to Laonie Robertson of 1272 Decorating,
1272@email.com, 0845 233 1272 / 07919 254667