Establishing Your Home's Colour Palette

Photo Credit: Elle Decor

Building a colour palette for a room is exciting and fun, but when considering the homes colour palette as a whole it can suddenly seem a little overwhelming and daunting. However it shouldn’t be, as by establishing this palette you are a step closer to achieving a more refined and flowing interior.

The general idea is to create a cohesive palette that can they be applied not only to what envelopes an interior but also feature to the fixtures, fittings and decorative elements such as a rug or a vase to pull the space together, but how is this possible and where you do start?

Finding Your Colours

Most people will have a list of colours that appeal to them and those that do not, but if you are struggling simply take a look in your wardrobe as it is likely that you’ve unconsciously purchased several items of the same hue, indicating that you have a natural preference for this colour. We are often inspired by what we see too, so make sure to take note, photograph and collect images that appeal to you as this will help you begin to unearth your colour palette you naturally lean towards.

Colour psychology

Once you have collated any inspiring material, it’s time to get a little more technical. Understanding colour psychology can help you connect with your chosen colours on an emotionally deeper level, and it can be such a powerful way of confidently pulling a colour palette together. The key question is: how do you want to feel when you are in the space? Make a list of all of these emotions, and from here you will be able to see which season appeals to you. This is because each personality has an affinity to a particular season, so let’s check out the definitions.

spring

Fresh, fun, simple, contemporary, open, welcoming, creative, approachable, light and bright.

Think of a scandinavian approach to interiors but without taking it too seriously. This space is full of positivity with a fresh and energetic atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from the season, crisp details are balanced with delicate colours and shapes.

For the colour palette think whimsical and clean, look at the pastel colours found in the season from elements such as cherry blossom, spring bulbs and green shoots.

Photo Credit: Arlo & Jacob

summer

Elegant, understated, romantic, classic, delicate, balanced, calming, luxurious, cool and flowing.

It’s easy to associate this season with images reminiscent of tropical holidays abroad, but this colour palette embodies the beautiful english summer. It effortlessly combines a laid back style with classic shapes and formal outlines.

As the temperatures increase, colours start to fade and become more muted. Think english roses, sandy beaches and afternoon tea.

Photo Credit: Handelsmann + Kahn

autumn

Warm, comforting, cosy, rustic, welcoming, organic, eclectic, worn, intense and natural.

A cosy and informal atmosphere is favoured here, with textures and the historical character of a room enhanced. Natural fibres and lots of personal objects makes it an intense yet friendly space to be in.

Autumn’s colours are bold, raw and beautiful. Think about turning leaves as they cycle through intense shades of red, burnt umber and pale linen.

Photo Credit: Homewings

Winter

Crisp, dramatic, luxurious, uncompromising, minimal, striking, understated, decisive, strong and grounded.

There is nothing ethereal about a winter inspired room, it demands strong contrasts, emphasised with bright or block colours. Everything has a place, and it somehow manages to be portray an opulent yet simple vibe.

This is the only season to include pure black. Imagine a crisp and frosty day, where all of the colours are understated except for the occasional pop of colour from things like winter berries.

Photo Credit: Coco Lapine Design

Finding Your Season

Defining which season your personality and taste falls into is essential if you are to use colour psychology to its full potential. With this understanding you will be able to think less overwhelmingly about your home’s colour palette as a whole, as the decisions are broken down in a rational and cohesive manner. Colour psychology is even applicable and gives further cues when beginning to style the rooms too, as the season will naturally indicate what materials, textures, shapes and furniture styles you should be considering if you want your style and intention to amount into something fluid and long-lasting.

Further Reading

To learn more about colour psychology in the same way that I did, check out branding expert Fiona Humberstone and her book ‘How to Style your Brand’ in which she talks about how to use the theory to successfully create a distinctive brand identity. To understand more about how colour psychology is applied to interiors, Sophie Robinson is a fantastic interior designer who has a wealth of knowledge that she regularly shares online.

Enjoy and share your seasonal personality in the comment section below!