You might be asking what the coming colour trends are? This question is constant for those who wish to step into home décor fashion with a confident foot, and is usually the leading question for many. Colour is, after all, the most impressionable part of interior design and is the single greatest motivator over all other design elements to humans.

My answer is the same today as it has always been about this precarious question and discussion that is answered differently by many designers. Your choices must please you because you are the one who is going to live with and in that colour palette. I look to see what colours you smile at, what clothing colours you look best in, because let’s face it, if there is a colour on the walls that doesn’t look good on you, it will reflect into your sense of feeling good about that environment. Yes, there are colours that are more on the runway of interior design and we see a movement to lighter shades of the neutrals almost into the sands and pearls and sunny whites. These are especially good colours to give you freedom with accessories. You can go crazy with most colours when choosing the almost non-colour essentials. These lighter neutrals can help make most spaces appear larger.

If you prefer stronger colour, then I advise you to use it and not feel intimidated or dominated by what is in trend or in fashion. If it brings you joy, then by all means live with that chocolate brown or sassy curry. Paint is the cheapest decorating tool there is and you don’t have to break your bank account or your heart as you would by choosing an expensive wall paper and then not loving it. I think paint is quick, simple and cheap to work with. Having said that, I advise you to use good quality paint — always. Most walls have imperfections and a quality product is more forgiving as they have tighter and closer cell structures, which will usually mean you can get away with two coats rather than three for best results.

There are many hints to help you select a colour that will make your room sizzle with delight. Take hints from your favourite art, your sofa and your floor. If your chosen colour doesn’t jive with your floor choice, it will be like watching a poor dancing couple each and every day. This would not be harmonious. Choose a colour to feature your upholstered furnishings so the result will not be contrasting. An opposite monochromatic coupling will give you a quieter more subtle effect. Ask yourself some basic questions such as, do I like exciting dramatic results or a quieter, subtle environment?

The activity in a room should be part of the equation when considering colour choices. For example, you might prefer more exciting spice colours for your kitchen to help you stay inspired and increase your motivation for creating exciting cuisine.

If you wish to feel more relaxed in a room choose the colours that invite those feelings in you. Don’t forget that what may translate to calm in a colour for you may invoke a heavy feeling to another. Openly discuss how a colour makes you feel, this is the trademark of Feng Shui, or really just common sense.

Colours with higher energy are great selections for office spaces as they invoke a greater sense of wanting to achieve or getting things done.

Entire books are written about how colour affects humans and even our pets. Leading business corporations hire experts to select colour options to motivate customers and workers to perform at optimum levels.

My next preference for good environment considerations are texture, but this is another subject for another article.

Have fun with colour, be daring and don’t be afraid to go outside the box. It doesn’t take long and it isn’t expensive to create a change of feeling through colour. Look at magazines, feel inspired by photos, but don’t copy the ideas if the rest of the elements are not your style or close to the look of your belongings.

It is common to see folks repeat colour optics because they saw it in the latest trends but it may do nothing for your room. It has to fit or you will have colour dreadlock.

Be well and take brush in hand whenever you see those walls in need of freshness, because fresh colour is as important as the cleaning.

Joan Heck is a Sooke resident and can be reached at joan@designexpressions.ca.