Colour study – red-orange
I promised a while ago to do some more room grids based on the twelve colours of the red-yellow-blue colour wheel. So here goes with red-orange - Red-orange is a wonderful earthy colour – the colour of rust and leather (as shown above), but also: Terracotta, Wood, And brick. Is it just me or does... Read more...
Colour recipe – wonky complements
Long ago I did a post for mydeco on complementary colour schemes. These are colours you chose from opposite sides of the colour wheel. I have named my own variation which are the “wonky complements” – those which are nearly complements. I think these are actually easier to pull off than direct complements – which... Read more...
Colour study – yellow-orange
You might already know that I am crazy for Pinterest. I get so many ideas for mydeco designs, and have been using it to improve my understanding of colour. Lots of cool people have created the most amazing inspiration boards based on colours – whether colour wheel colours (like blue and blue-violet) or color names... Read more...
Colour recipe – tertiary colours
Even though I have been going on about using the colour wheel to choose combinations of colours, that’s not my favourite (or the simplest) way to use it. Often I just use a colour wheel to find unusual colours around which to base a room. Most people know about the primary (red, yellow, blue) and the secondary... Read more...
My Best of Britannia
I wish I could have popped into the Best of Britannia exhibition last weekend, even though I live a mere 15,148 kms away. I lived in London for a while in the 90s, and the energy and creativity still inspires me. A perfect day for me was to browse at Portobello Road or Camden Town markets, sit... Read more...
Colour makeover – one room eight ways
I love makeovers (and makeunders) of any description – gardens, people, but especially interiors. When I saw a truly ugly room online recently I decided to give it a makeover, a few times over. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with any of the furniture or finishes (in fact I’ll reuse most of the pieces in the... Read more...
Colour study – Yellow
Yellow scares me a bit. Many websites will tell you how hard it is to use. And yet – a yellow room can be up-lifting and stunning. I think this is partly because they are so rare. For me yellow is hard to use because it is so bright, and can so easily... Read more...
How to use online colour palettes (part two)
Last week I threw out a challenge – design a room based on this colour palette by Design Seeds. Here’s what the Mydecorati submitted, what I found on the interweb, and what I learned - 1. Whatever palette you can dream up, someone will already have done it. Hunny and Sudasal pulled out designs they... Read more...
How to use online colour palettes
There are more sites devoted to colour than there are hours in the day (or year). Here are some that are on high rotation at my place. I find them very helpful when feeling a bit “stuck” for colour ideas or just needing some delicious eye candy (no calories!). 1. If you’ve been over to Pinterest you’ll find... Read more...
Colour study – nature’s neutrals
Nikki has written some wonderful posts for mydeco about neutral rooms – sophisticated, decadent, chic and glamorous. I love every room she chooses. Meanwhile, I have been studying neutrals from a very different angle – the neutrals from nature. I have cast my net w-i-d-e and while my choices might not be neutral in the... Read more...
Colour recipe – one rug, many designs
I have a favourite way of choosing the colours for a room design, one that just always works. It’s an oldie but a goodie. I don’t have a degree in colour or textiles or design, but I cheat by taking tips from those who do. How? Use a rug or any other textile that you... Read more...
Colour study – grey
This week we’ll take a diversion from colour recipes to dive deep, deep, DEEP into a single colour – grey. Are you thinking “not much to see here”? I hope I will change your mind. Grey is, scientifically, a combination of pure white and pure black. It is therefore achromatic (meaning no colour), colourless, free... Read more...
