Colourbind

Banish the idea that paint merely covers walls.

That limited perspective smothers the magic

and versatility of colour. The right paint

creates optical illusions that can enlarge the smallest

space and illuminate the dreariest. The right paint

establishes moods and evokes feelings. And the right

paint provides the warmth and comfort that makes a

house a home.

Omnipresent in the colour world are neutrals.

However, this year we are reversing the traditional

scheme by pairing neutral furnishings with bold,

patterned walls. Heather MacGregor of Heather Interiors says, "we are seeing neutral furniture with

brighter walls.Wallpaper is big now and we are seeing

a lot of patterns and textures, like vinyl, that look like

leather, stitching, and bubbles.We are going away from

the minimalist look."

This season also shows

muted-down bright

colours. Shades inspired by

minerals, such as greys,

dusty roses, blues, and

blushing peaches, create a

soft, romantic look,

especially when paired

with simple dark woods.

MacGregor says that

metallic colours, such as

nickel or pewter, are still

popular with a brusheddown

effect.

Contemporary home

colours also favour deep,

Eastern-inspired hues, like

coffee-bean browns, blood

reds, regal purples, and dark

mustards. The Benjamin

Moore catalogue provides

tips for incorporating the

ethnic shades into your

home: "Juxtapose exotic

colours from diverse

cultures with paints?then

accessorize with a mix of

bold, primitive motifs,

delicate Asian ornaments,

and?woods, weaves, corks,

fur, and leather."

"These new [Easterninspired]

colours are great

because they give an

interesting ethnic touch, but at the same time they're

not overly trendy and you won't become tired of them

in a few years," says Stephanie Waknine, design and

advertising student at York University. These colours

warm up a space and, being spicy and eclectic,

they inspire excitement and adventure unto all that

behold them.

If choosing the perfect paint stresses you out, just focus on the function of the room that you're painting.

"Colour can change mood," says MacGregor. "You

wouldn't want to put hot colours in a room where, for

example, a child would sleep. Colour is a reflection of

light and so it has a psychological impact on your state

of being."

MacGregor notes that

it's also important to

consider the direction

that the room faces.

"North-facing rooms need

hotter colours and southfacing

rooms need cooler

colours. Your lighting will

affect the colour on your

walls. Incandescent bulbs

make warmer colours and

fluorescents make cooler

colours."

Colour can also trick the

eye and create optical

illusions to make a room

larger or smaller.

MacGregor points out,

"large rooms can handle

darker colours, because

darker colours pull walls

forward. Monochromatic

lighter tones will make a

room feel bigger. Pastels

make walls go beyond.

Lighter colours on ceilings

make them look higher.

To make a big room

more intimate, use lots of

contrast between colours

and patterns."

If you have an object

that you want to

emphasize, such as a piece of art, MacGregor suggests

framing it in white. "Your eye naturally goes to the

lightest colour. You can use this to enhance whatever

you want and create a focal point for the room."

And whenever in doubt, keep in mind MacGregor's

basic ratio for choosing colours: 70 per cent of your

base colour, 25 per cent of your complementary colour,

and 5 per cent of an accent colour.