A home needs to be a place where everyone can turn down the noise, where everyone can nurture the values and recharge. Insights from extensive research into societal, economic and design trends reveal that we live in a world of unpredictability, with access to more information and choices than ever. Our home needs to be a place where we can turn down the noise, where we can nurture our values and recharge. Colours play a significant role in creating such a perfect, comforting environment.
The 2018 Colour of the Year ‘Heart Wood’ truly captures this mood of the moment. A subtle and warm tone of grown-up pink, Heart Wood draws from the tactile qualities of natural wood and leather, conveying comfort and ease in response to consumers wanting to nestle up and create a “welcome home”. It combines gentle shades of grey-pink, blues and soft cocoa flowing into bolder shades of ink blue and purple.
Here are a few tips on how you can create a soothing atmosphere indoors:
Cool blue for the inviting home
Beat the blues with cool tones of Lake Crest(blue) in your bedroom for a crisp and clear atmosphere mimicking the sky. It’s ideal for those looking for something a little brighter than a grey yet towards the neutral side. Cool shades of blue encourage a clear-headed approach to life, while neutrals and fresh green support the need for connection with the outside world. Softer pastel shades are enhanced by coal and ink blue.
Being the colour of the mind, blue is especially tranquilizing and perfect for a bedroom to stimulate clear thoughts. Coupled with shades of white, such as Crisp Linen and Terrace White, rooms can be transformed into a sophisticated yet simple space. White walls also create the illusion of a larger room, making it ideal to be used in smaller rooms. A combination of the two can bring a peaceful quality to your bedroom and in turn help you sleep better.
Playful yellow
Yellow-toned green and gold help spark the synapses and encourage a creative approach to life. This helps creates a space to be inspired and invigorate the senses. Pops of color add a sense of fun and energy, while clever use of color can help create different zones within smaller spaces. This would be ideal for the light-hearted persona, curious, adventurous and adaptable.
Soft gray
For a more neutral colour scheme, shades such as Mansard Stone (gray) would be suitable to create a more finished look. The colour being solid and stable, creates a sense of composure, thus making it a space to come back to after a tiring day. A colour of conformity, it ensures practicality and creates a dreamy feeling of quiet luxury. It would be a good colour scheme for a living room, as it adds a luxurious feeling.
Comforting warmth
For a comforting home it is essential to create an environment in which one can truly recharge and reset the mind. A cocooning space which acts as a restorative embrace. Warm earth tones, along with clay and blush pink tones to calm the mind, soothe the senses and shut out the noise. Rich, welcoming textures such as silk and velvet create a highly tactile space.
Muted green
Glass Green, a muted shade of green instills a sense of balance and is therefore a very calming a colour. Known to be the colour of balance, it adds freshness and equilibrium to any space where it is being used. When added to a living space, it can elicit feelings of contentment and harmony.
Colours play a vital role in shaping the atmosphere of any space. When used to their advantage, colours can create a soothing space, evoking a sense of calmness and serenity.
– written by David Teng, General Manager, Decorative Paints, South Asia Cluster, AkzoNobel India.
