All about colour
Why do yellow and blue look well together? What makes that green and orange match perfectly? The answer seems to be magical!
Before starting to have fun with colours it’s good to get acquainted with principle elements and professional terminology so that the metamorphosis effect of the interior can be a nice surprise. Firstly, we have to learn how to take advantage of the colour wheel. Just like in most perfect cases, it has its reflection in nature. All the colour can be observed in the rainbow arch – they are constant similarly to constant basic and medium colours.
Basic colours in the wheel are separated from each other every one third interval. When mixing them we can obtain complex colours, complete ones. They are located at the opposite edges of the wheel diameter, thus they make the biggest contrast to one another. When mixed, they form a grey colour. Basic colours have a clearly determined properties and thus: yellow is the brightest, red the most intense and blue the coldest. Medium colour are opposite to them, thus violet is bright least of all, green the least intense and orange the warmest. Such combination create axis in the wheel: brightness, contrast and cold. Colours can be combined in pairs, equally-bright, equally-warm and equally-separated. The most effective ones have the same level of tone, made of different principle colours. The pairs are made by selecting a colour every one third of wheel interval. For example, we can combine: yellow with red, red with blue and blue with yellow as well as orange with green, green with violet and violet with orange. We follow exactly the same pattern when making a triple combination, e.g. yellow, orange and red. When selecting colours it’s worth taking into consideration so that we do not use too many colours at once which might contribute to blinking phenomenon. Patchy combination are not good for our sight and as a result we feel irritated and depressed. Wheels are used either by interior designers, florists as well as painters who want to create a composition of still life. They help in a simple way to notice dependencies between particular colours and as a result, a choice of the best set. Manufacturers rely on them when creating colour samples.
The meaning of colours
Yellow – expands optically. Upon shining surfaces it enhances its values however diminishes them on rough ones. It is noticeable from the distance, especially against a background of dark. It calms down, gives impression of warmth, joy, light and sun.
Red – enhances activeness, stimulates, for a longer period of time may cause apathy and boredom. Light shades may contribute to excitement and tension, dark ones express a feeling of seriousness.
Blue – calm, serious and cold. Keep surfaces in the distance, is associated with cleanness and freshness.
Orange – the warmest colour, increases the temperature around. It has strong influence and causes joy and happiness. It is optimistic.
Violet – decreases activeness, gives impression of lower temperatures. It can be both bright and gloomy. It is melancholic. It is ideal to be combined with other colours since it might be too depressing on large surfaces.
Green – refreshes and relieves. It looks attractive upon rough surfaces. In combination with yellow, orange and red, seems to be background for them.
White – neutral, strong contrast with all dark shades. It makes the premises bright and vivid. It expands the space optically.
Black – neutral, diminishes the space. As a background increases influence of yellow or red.
Colour might influence our mood. Green relieves, yellow is joyful and sunny, ideal for energetic interiors. Intense red might stimulate and blue calms down. It’s all up to a shade. By proper shade we can warm the interior, give it a cosy character and freeze it by applying grey or arctic light blue. When decorating a room, we must remember so as not to be influenced by one mood only but combine it with another, even a slight element. Balance is not only necessary in nature.
Decorate you room step by step, taking advantage of our principles.
Stage 1. Collect inspirations
Prepare a special board or a colour diary and bear in mind that looking for inspirations is a process and not an activity for one afternoon. Go for a walk, to the art gallery, to the market and observe. Take photos and collect materials even leaves and flowers. Look through some design magazines, visit elegant boutiques. A good reconnaissance is a basis of successful style. Stick the collected valuables onto the board, combined them and look how they look. The effect might surprise you!
Stage 2. Choose your style
If you decide to have a particular style, it will be easier for you to combine a set of colours. The character of the interior depends mainly on the colour which is on the wall. Making a choice, take into consideration the size of the room, its purpose and times of the day, you will be there. It’s incredibly important to choose a proper illumination. Colours will look differently in the room situated towards the south and differently towards the north. Additionally, artificial light may deform them. If we set them in a reasonable way, we will create a wonderful space.
If you are still not sure whether the colours chosen by you will be proper in your interiors, use our Interiors Designer on www.barwy-natury.com.pl. Upload a particular photo of a room and check how this colour will look on your walls.
Stage 4. Choose the products
We already have a concept – it’s time to make it work. If you decide to change the colour of your walls radically, first buy small containers, so called samples and check various shades in your interiors. Paint the middle element of your wall and wait a few days. Assess how you feel with this particular colour – if you feel well it means you are ready for redecoration.
You can acquire a ready-to-use paint, e.g. Sniezka Colours of the Nature or use a colouring system and make your own shade, after mixing the base with pigments e.g. using Sniezka Perfect or MAGNAT base (satin or matt).
Stage 5. Break your rules
Are you afraid of experimenting? Bearing in mind the principle knowledge how to combine colours, even flowery cushions can be matched to checked curtains. Look at the wheel colours and combine materials according to the previous tips. Put seemingly awkward objects to each other and maybe it will turn out that this combination is perfect for your premises. It’s important so that objects of different textures and shades come from one colour palette.
If you are making first steps in interior designing and are afraid of using intense colours, begin with interiors you spend the least amount of time. Each colour combination which exists in nature – upon heath hills, meadows or coastal cliffs – will be perfect for your interiors too.