Which Colour Scheme is Right for Your Home?

Your Starting Point

Colour schemes can be a minefield. So many choices, so many combinations — where do you start? A good place is to think about the room you are working in and what you do there. Some shades tend to be more restful than others and so work well in living rooms and bedrooms, whilst bold, lively colours are a perfect choice in more sociable spaces such as kitchen diners.

The amount of natural light, ceiling height and your existing furniture should also play a part. In general, large, light spaces can take more intense, darker shades, whilst smaller spaces with a lack of natural light tend to benefit from lighter shades — any bolder colours you have your heart set on are best introduced using furniture or accessories rather than saturating the wall — a black coffee table, for example, is a better option than a black wall!

Looking to the big current trends – as well as those that have shown their longevity over the years – can be hugely helpful.

Black and White

The trusty black and white colour combo has rarely fallen from favour over the years. Perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise given that it pairs two of the boldest, most impactful shades out there, whilst at the same time keeping thing nice and neutral — the ideal way to create a cohesive interiors scheme.

Easy to live with, this is a scheme that can be kept as muted or as bold as you like. Start with one focal point, such as a black coffee table and work around it. Using a customisable product, such as the coffee tables from Zespoke, means you can combine both black and white within one piece, perhaps opting for a black outer with a white inner. This scheme also gives you the chance to add pops of colour that will have a real impact, such as a pink coffee table set against a monochrome backdrop, or a selection of tangerine cushions on a pure white sofa.

Candy Crush

Whether you take your inspiration from LA in the 1980s, a retro 50s diner or the ice cream parlour you walk past on the way to work, sweet candy shades are big news.

Despite being a colour scheme that has retro overtones, this is actually a look that can work well in plenty of different situations, from kitchen diners to living rooms, as well as bedrooms. It is a scheme that creates a sense of playfulness and gives off a very happy vibe.

Think soft mint, marshmallow pink and creamy yellow with a few brighter, even neon, bubblegum shades thrown in, such as strawberry pink and sour raspberry blue. Keep the walls soft and light and mix in plenty of white to keep the look fresh — a white coffee table as a focal point would work well — choosing a retro shape like this would complete the look nicely, plus it features a cute, yet subtle, candy stripe.

Mediterranean Blue

Blue in all its various forms has been big news for quite some time now – being easy to pair with most colours and available in a rich selection of shades.

One of the biggest looks of the moment is for Mediterranean blues — rich and uplifting and the perfect pairing for fresh whites, pinks and grey (think sea, sand and shells) — a pink coffee table (see Zespoke’s gloss pink shade) would look fabulous nestled within a Greek-inspired blue and white living room, whilst a fresh white coffee table or side tables would be the ideal way to set off rich blue upholstery. These vibrant blues are also the perfect partners for sour green shades, also on trend now, and the ideal way to bring a sense of nature inside.

Earthy Tones

Warm tones such as olive green, rust, cloudy mint and aubergine make a nice change from the neutrals we are so used to seeing — take note of Patone’s colour of 2015, Marasla, which is an earthy wine red. These are enriching colours which will warm up the coldest of spaces and do something for the soul.

The Retro Coffee Table from Zespoke in Olive Green would suit this colour scheme down to the ground, as would a piece in one of their wood finishes, such as Walnut.

Get Going

If you are still wary of moving forward with your colour scheme, take comfort in the fact that in order to introduce one of these fantastic schemes into your home, there is no need to go all out with paint colours.

In fact, one of the best ways to achieve an easy-to-live with colour scheme is to keep the backdrop neutral and introduce colour through furniture. Customisable furniture, such as the coffee tables from Zespoke, makes it possible to bring together colours you like with no fear of the overall look being overwhelming. Their range is available in over 40 shades, so whatever your chosen colour scheme, there will be something to suit.