Colour and patterns have the ability to quickly transform a room and add instant personality. It is easy to spot a pattern and colour palette that is distinctly mid-century inspired, Asian, tribal or Celtic, yet homeowners are often afraid to make a bold statement using these great options.
As the first things you notice when you enter a space, colour and pattern can make your interior special and impactful in a way no other element can.
Reason #1: They Bring Emotion, Enthusiasm & Energy to Your Place
Colour alone has the unique ability to create or shift a mood. Just look outside on a grey day or a sunny one to feel the impact colour can have. A bright blue sky boosts my mood even on a chilly winter day.
Colour has been studied for its psychological impact and is applied in many settings for its mood enhancing ability. Hospitals use colour to aid recovery (green is believed to foster optimism and promote healing). Institutions like prisons use calming colours to moderate mood and modify behavior. Schools also use colour to help young children focus, and restaurants use rich, warm, appetising colours to stimulate the senses.
Used with skill, colour can be a designer’s strongest tool in their kit- we recently shared some of our tips for choosing the right paint colour for a space.
Reason #2: They Add Points of Interest & Personality to Your Home
Pattern can define the style of a space more than almost any other element. Bold graphics can inject energy. Stripes, geometrics, florals, plaids, animal prints, and ditsy prints will convey a desired design style. Pattern can be used to create a focal point or to add quiet emphasis.
Pattern can also be used to reinforce a colour palette, creating interest to keep the eyes moving throughout the space.
Use pattern on pattern, varying the scale, or to create a more modern aesthetic, try sticking with solids and eschew pattern altogether.
Reason #3: They Blend Styles Seamlessly & Bring Balance to Your Space
Colour and pattern come together in a space to create design harmony in the home and to help the viewer feel at ease. We like to choose a palette of colours and patterns to use throughout the home to create flow and cohesiveness while giving each room a unique look.
Incorporating Colour and Pattern into Your Design
Pattern and colour preferences are individual to each person and quickly communicate your style to anyone who visits your home (learn how to identify your individual design style here.)
When we work with a homeowner, we typically start with an array of patterns and colours for them to choose from. Once we have their input into the ‘seed’, or a few patterns and colours they truly love, then we can complete the design for their home knowing that we are building on their initial selection.
Looking for a team that can combine design strategy with your personal aesthetic to create harmony in your home? Reach out and let’s get acquainted!
Warmly,
Judith
