Bold accents
Highlight elements of your
schemes you might otherwise
overlook – window frames or
shelves just need a splash
of colour to stand out. ‘Don’t
be afraid to experiment –
look for the least obvious
tone in accessories, fabrics or
wallpaper and choose paint in
a similar hue for your accent,’
says David Mottershead,
managing director of Little
Greene. ‘Using contrasting or
even clashing colours is very
powerful, but harmonising
shades in the same tone can
be equally effective – it’s really
a question of personal taste.
Remember to sample colours
first, though – that’s one of
the most important rules
of decorating,’ David adds.
PROJECT DETAILS In this
bathroom (above), the window
frame and ceiling have been
accentuated with dashes of sunny
orange and ultramarine, giving
the period space a contemporary
feel. Walls are painted in Flint,
ceiling in Deep Space Blue and
window frame in Marigold, all
from £22.50 for 1L absolute
matt emulsion, Little GreeneIn the zone
Colour is a great way to break
up open-plan spaces and create
zones that mark the difference
between where you cook, say,
and where you relax. Choose
shades that work with the
function of each area and the
ambience you want to create
there. ‘Instead of painting the
whole wall, which slips into
feature wall territory, I think
it works really well when you
take the paint over woodwork
and up onto the ceiling, almost
creating a cube shape in the
corner of a room,’ says interior
designer Sophie Robinson.
‘Also, creating a frame around
a feature such as a collection
of artwork or library nook is
a striking way to set it apart.’
PROJECT DETAILS Bubblegum
pink frames the lounge area in
this open-plan space (below),
while the hallway beyond sports
a dramatic fire-engine red, which
is ideal for making an entrance.
The wall is painted in Nancy’s
Blushes and the panelling in
Charlotte’s Locks, both estate
emulsion, £43.50 for 2.5L,
Farrow & Ball. Planter in Scallion
pure flat emulsion, £49.50 for
2.5L, Paint & Paper Library PHOTOGRAPHS^ (THIS^
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