Colour is back this year – bolder, warmer and brighter than ever.
“Coral is everywhere, and millennial pink remains strong. Other colour trends are forest greens, moody blues and warmer shades of neutrals, like mushroom and hazelnut,” says decor and design enthusiast Cairey Baxter-Bruce, also host of East Coast Radio House & Garden Show.
How far you go to incorporate this season’s colours into your home depends entirely on how courageous you are. If you choose coral, which is Pantone’s colour of the year, use it in small doses, advises Baxter-Bruce.
“Source soft throws and fun scatters, or upcycle an existing piece of furniture with a pop of paint or coral-coloured doorknobs. Give old frames a lick of paint and hang them in a cluster on the wall in your reception area, passage or bathroom. If you’re feeling really brave, pick a wall or even a door and give it a coat of coral paint,” she says.
AFFLUENT Upbeat luxury ensues with a playful combination of dramatic Burnt Horizon and gilded Beeswax Candle. Red as the core colour is confident and evokes someone with a love of heritage. Picture: Supplied
Millennial pink is muted this season to shades of dusty rose, and gentle pastel varieties of turquoise, lilac and yellow have made a comeback. These hues are a great way to inject a bit of personality into your home and can be incorporated into any room from your kitchen to your child’s room.
“Because we’re entering autumn, colours will start getting richer and warmer rather than brighter,” says Candace Sinclair, interior designer at Silken Trap Interiors.
“Generally, you would use neutrals as your main colours, offset by your chosen note colours to liven up the room. This could be on a feature wall, rug or throws. In the first bedroom, your note colours can be more dominant,” she says.
Designer and decorator Marcia Margolius likes to pair subtle pinks with other trending colours. “I particularly love the ombre pink look with paler shades of this distinct colour. Add it to the bedroom for a playful, romantic and feminine touch,” she says.
If you’re going with tropical greens, these also work well with neutral tones, as well as natural textures and metallic accessories in brushed gold. “Consider soft furnishings in textured fabric or wallpaper in bold prints,” suggests Baxter-Bruce.
“If you really want to commit, invest in an emerald green sofa or statement chair. If you’re going all out and painting walls, make sure it’s in a large enough room with plenty of light,” she says. Margolius says green adds a dramatic tone to any space. If you’re planning a kitchen revamp, a colour to consider is blue, in deep and soulful hues.
Tropical greens can be beautifully paired with natural elements and metallics. Picture: Supplied
“Similar to forest greens, these blues are strong, work well with neutral tones and when combined with white, create a clean, minimalist feel. Cabinetry looks fab in blue,” says Baxter-Bruce. Yellow is not the most obvious colour trend to incorporate into your home, but it can do wonders to brighten up your space, she says.
Margolius, recently returned from the world stage of design at HOMI Milan, says woody tones and textures were the dominant palette. “Deep dark woods with an earthy grey and brown colour palettes are trending. Natural textures and colours are the way to go there – these add a natural flair and earthy richness to your space. You can incorporate wood tones in your floors, offset by white or colourful kitchen cabinetry, or as cabinetry itself, she suggests.
In Plascon’s 2019 palette, restrained neutrals are paired with feel-good pastels like lilac and aquamarine, offset with metallic decor and natural elements to add verve and sophistication.
“Natural touches and metallics add glamour,” says Plascon head of decorative marketing, Katlego Kondlo. “Ambient lighting and mirrors are effective, especially when cooler colours are used,” she says.