Colour your home with Colin and Justin!

Design duo Colin and Justin examine the way in which colour can enhance your home. Through painting and purchasing unique accent pieces from furniture and home accessories stores, you can add the right amount of colour to your home without overwhelming each and every space.

Colin and Justin spin the colour wheel, inspired by a visit to The G&V Royal Mile Hotel in Edinburgh. Previously the Hotel Missoni, the outpost retains many of its former partner’s bold faced hues…

But from whence does the inspiration contained within today’s lesson derive? All the way from Scotland’s Capital, no less. Aye we’re back in Blighty for a short sojourn, before departing for Australia. But more of our pending Antipodean jaunt another week…

Cue the G&V Royal Mile Hotel, a glittering jewel in the nation’s hospitality crown. From brightly attired bellhops who guard the door, to boldly decorated rooms and common areas, the visuals are mesmerizing.

The hotel in Edinburgh exudes Scottish style!
Source: Quorvuscollection.com.

So what can you take away from the European outpost, courtesy of our wee trip? As Vincent van Gogh once quipped: “Colour, in a picture, is like enthusiasm in life.” The quote is as relevant in the hotel (and indeed the domestic) setting as it is in the atmospheric strokes that lapped, like kittens tongues, from the fabled painter’s brush.

So be inspired to colour your home.

Start with ruby and amethyst-toned textiles and ceramics

They’re a fun starting point and will add pop and drama to the most muted project. Rugs are a no-brainer, as are curtain fabrics, throws and textiles. Their temporary nature allows for switching on a whim. Tip – detailing like this is especially sensible for colour-loving renters who live by landlord’s regulations, rules that often stipulate “no decorative changes.

It’s also worth noting, as you enjoy today’s photography, that colour, as well as being registered by the eye, can have an effect on mood and – if some experts are to be believed – physical well being. OK, overdosing might result in schematic meltdown, but if you remember our ‘less is more’ counsel, you’ll avoid the Joseph’s Coat effect.

Colour your home with a little drama

In the G&V environment, however, drama is the modus operandi. Liberal use of glass panels, in primary tones, works well because of scale, but fret not; domestic application (albeit in a somewhat limited manner) can still be exciting. ‘Real life’ might include a bright slab of coloured glass atop a coffee table, a glazed backsplash in a kitchen, or a tinted glass vanity in a brightly decorated bathroom.

Coloured glass, whether on a coffee table, as an accent wall, or a vase can instantly add drama!

Our inner paint charts flickering like newly hatched butterflies, we’ve highlighted the main colours witnessed at G&V to inspire you even further. And we’ve collated a little info on that which each will add in the domestic setting.

Blue

Soft tones, according to certain colour therapists, aid relaxation, so their use in the hotel is clever as part of the welcoming strategy. Employed in an adult bedroom, soft blue can soothe and calm, whereas in a junior domain it may even help focus the mind. Tip: try darker variants, such as indigo, in home office nooks or studies to promote concentration.

Red

Use whenever a bold statement is required. Due to the commodious proportions of The G&V, red plays a huge part, but go easy at home: use sparingly as an accent rather than a dominant feature. Tip: bear in mind that mood can change according to hue. Mid tone burgundy, for example, will promote appetite and conversation (making it particularly appropriate in dining rooms), whereas brick toned variants will help conspire an altogether earthier atmosphere.

Yellow

Yellow energizes and increases metabolism, though it can agitate if the tone is overzealous. In kids’ rooms, we use softer tones: our old pal, Super Nanny Jo Frost, maintains that babies cry more in bright yellow nurseries. Accordingly, slide down the shade chart towards pastel options.

Green

Redolent of the forest, green can be calming: some colour analysts even suggest it can help moderate anxiety. Our fave tones are muddy lime, olive and sage, all of which look wonderful in a variety of applications, from bedroom to bathroom and from kitchen to living room.

Guess it’s fair to suggest that, while most Edinburgh goers leave with whisky or tartan tourist paraphernalia, we went a little further in our choice of souvenir. Yup, thanks to the former Missoni outpost, we’ve recharged our colour batteries and are once again ready to spin the colour wheel… with gusto! Ci vediamo la prossima settimana!

Ready to inject a little bit of colour into your home? Use our home directory to find a furniture and home accessories store nearest you. You can transform any room with a little bit of paint, too. Our directory features reviews and articles to help you make a decision when hiring a professional painter.