T he secret to using colour courageously lies in choosing what you really love. That idea may seem obvious - not many people, after all, would likely spend their money decorating with colours that don’t strike a chord. With bold, jewel tones trending across a number of areas of design right now, it shouldn’t be hard to find one that you’re personally drawn to. Whether it be emerald green, midnight blue or a violet fit for royalty, the key to making it work is to pay attention to how it makes you feel and then decide whether your space will need a little or a lot to make the statement you’re trying to achieve. Function first Consider what functions you’re going to be using the room for: is it a cosy retreat, a lounge for entertaining or somewhere practical for getting work done? Decades worth of studies have shown that the colour you choose in a space impacts your mood when you’re in it, so you’ll want to select one that brings the right vibe for the activity at hand. A strong colour scheme that showcases deeper, more saturated colours can elicit a strong emotional response. Certain bold shades create feelings of security and comfort while others may feel too heavy or even closed in. Before you fully commit to a bold colour, you can get a feel for it by painting a large swatch onto cardboard with a Resene testpot, leaving an unpainted border around the edge. Move it from wall to wall and see how it looks in different lighting. Pay attention to how it makes you feel before coming to a decision. It’s no use having a space that you’ll never go in because the wall colour is so electric that it instantly brings on a headache. Start small and simple If you’re new to using striking shades, it’s best to stick to just one and keep adding less-vibrant layers until you reach just the right intensity. For example, if you go for a deep charcoal blue like Resene Coast on the walls, try a softer, warmer grey or blue for major fabric elements like the couch, bed linen, cushions or curtains. Slowly add accessories in lighter, complementary shades such as Resene Safehaven, Resene Lazy River or Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue and finish off with a pale neutral like Resene Sea Fog for a vase or window frame. Another good idea is to opt for something like a picture frame or a pendant light in a complementary colour darker than your walls. This will help the walls recede a little to create more visual space. If you have wooden floors, think about staining them with a light neutral like Resene Colorwood Greywash to give the rest of your scheme room to breathe, or pick a carpet several shades lighter than your walls will be. Tap into texture Mixing a variety of textures in a room is another easy way to stop a bold colour from overpowering the space. For instance, installing wood panelling, moulding, cornices or textured wallpaper can create more visual interest and break things up to keep a solid Resene Alabaster Resene Nero Resene Love Me Do Resene Atlas Resene Twisted Sister Resene Bewitched Resene Family Tree Resene Dynamite Resene Quarter Bokara Grey Resene Shilo saturated fully style Left: Hot spots of gold and rich mustard bring this luxurious living room to life. The deep Resene Twilight Zone walls are given extra visual interest with simple wooden battens. The floor achieves extra depth with Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash over a coat of Resene Colorwood Crowshead while still allowing the wood grain to show through. Layers of deep blue accessories, like the Resene Indian Ink coffee table and sideboard tops, the Resene Excalibur tray and the Resene King Tide vase, tealight holder and bowl add oceans of irresistible style. Resene Twilight Zone Resene Colorwood Crowshead Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash Resene Indian Ink Resene Excalibur Resene King Tide Resene Sea Fog Resene Cleopatra bold colour from completely taking over. Accessorising with natural fibres such as rattan, rope or simple cotton mats is another great way to add levity to an intense colour choice. Leave them in their natural state or paint or stain them a similar shade to your main room colour if you want to keep things monochrome. Lush fabrics like velvet, silk or leather bump up the luxury factor and build a sense of retreat and relaxation in your room. Whether it’s flowers in a shade that matches your palette or lush leafy greens, plants help bring the outdoors in and add more texture. Dark tropical leaves work well with greys, reds and burnt oranges, while leaves in paler or brighter greens can add some freshness to deep blues and purples. Commit to contrast Going bold doesn’t have to be isolated to just one colour. Accents of another bold contrasting colour can lend real drama and interest to a room. If you’re stuck for what will work well, consider some classic colour combinations. Pink and charcoal, such as Resene Shilo and Resene Quarter Bokara Grey, red and green, such as Resene Dynamite and Resene Family Tree, navy and orange, such as Resene Bewitched and Resene Twisted Sister or, of course, black and white, such as Resene Nero and Resene Alabaster. The variations within these colour combinations is massive, and with some experimentation, you may even end up with a room that’s both classic and completely on trend. The trick is to choose one colour as your main top tip If you want to take the guesswork out of finding shades to layer with your bold selection, start with the Resene The Range fashion colours fandeck. Each page in the fandeck features colours that work well together. On the back of each colour, you’ll find complementary colour suggestions to help you get started. Bold colour combinations to try: Step outside your comfort zone with bold, rich colours. It may be just the thing your space needs. Resene Virtuoso Resene Noir Resene Mother Nature Resene Alabaster Resene Coast Resene Lazy River Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue Resene Safehaven Resene Thumbs Up Resene Charcoal stockists Hugo 2 Seater Sofa in Navy from Me & My Trend, www.meandmytrend.com. Finsbury Floor Lamp in Marble/Brass and Ismalla Vessel in Brass/Mustard from Freedom Furniture, www.freedomfurniture.co.nz. Ethan Swivel Chair in Navy Velvet and Elo Stitch Cushion from Nood, www.nood.co.nz. Velvet cushions from The Warehouse, www.thewarehouse.co.nz. Black Cockatoo print from Pop Motif, www.popmotif.com. Coffee table, vases, bowl, candleholder and tray from Kmart, www.kmart.co.nz. 31 30 on trend