When it comes to choosing a colour palette for your home, your preference is just that – yours! And as such, it can neither be right or wrong. On the other hand, understanding colour is somewhat of a science, and like any good scientific formula, you must blend the right ingredients to avoid disaster.

If you wish to avoid a clunky mismatched aesthetic in your home, there are a few things to consider. With a little planning and professional advice, you can create a cohesive flow of colour throughout your house.

So, before you begin throwing paint samples on the wall, let’s explore some of the guidelines.

Consider a Flow-through Paint

A flow-through or base paint colour is an excellent way to connect rooms and different spaces, particularly in open-plan homes.

Use the flow-through colour in hallways, foyers and main rooms to achieve a seamless flow from one space to another.

We recommend using a neutral colour as your flow-through choice; this way, you are free to embellish your rooms with bold accent colours or accessories instead of being restricted by a dominant colour on the walls.

Check Your Sightlines

Sightlines refer to the line of sight from one room to another. For example, is there a line of sight from your living room to another room? If so, you must carefully consider your colour choices in each room and ensure that they complement each other. Apply this practice to every room in your house. Rooms connected via sightlines are great candidates for the flow-through colour, as mentioned above.

Colour Groups

Colours are grouped into temperature families – warm colours and cool colours. Warm colours refer to reds, oranges and yellows, while cool colours refer to greys, greens and blues.

When choosing a palette for your home, it is best to stick to one or the other; this will also go a long way in ensuring that your colour scheme flows from room to room.

If you are totally in love with one colour, you can ask your paint shop to create different tints of it – lighter or darker shades. Different shades will create breaks and bring variation to your space.

If you are going to use one colour throughout your home or in one room, we recommend that you go two shades lighter in hallways and up to three shades lighter on the ceiling.

Where to Use Bold Colours

If you are attracted to bold colours and have your heart set on using at least one in your home, stick to small enclosed rooms or spaces out of sightlines. Bedrooms, kids’ rooms and boot rooms are all excellent options to unleash your brave colour choices.

Accessorise with Bold Colours

If throwing bold splashes of colour on your walls is not in your comfort zone, you can always satisfy the urge to be bold with brightly coloured accessories. Not only are accessories less expensive than litres of paint, but they are also easy to swap out if you tire of them.

Using Accents to Achieve Flow

Accent colours are effective! You can change your accent colour from room to room, but using one colour consistently throughout your house creates a sense of cohesion without it feeling too repetitive.

Talk to a Designer

A consultation with an interior designer can help to bring your home’s colour palette together. If you start with a blank canvas, they can help you get it right from the outset. If you are redecorating or renovating, they will work with existing colours and interiors to help you achieve a balanced aesthetic.