admin
Yoliswa Dube
AN orange wall in our home has been quite the topic of discussion in the family. While some family members decided not to take the risk and paint the whole room orange, others felt a bright colour would liven things up in the lounge.
The initial thinking was painting one wall orange and hanging mosaic art on it. But now it seems there are regrets — more orange in the room would have been preferable. In retrospect, paint is a risky game, fraught with too lemon-y yellows, dingy whites, and boring neutrals. Before you rush with visions of dramatic colours in your head, take a step back and really consider the room you are planning to paint. Ask yourself:
#1: What do I want my home to feel like?
When you walk through the front door, do you want a calm haven, or a place that perks you up the minute you get home? If you need a serene environment, think about neutral or cool monochromatic colour schemes that comfort you. If you want your eye to bounce around the room, and give you energy, then lean towards warmer colours, or colours that oppose each other on the colour wheel.
#2: What are any existing room elements?
Likely, your paint colour is not the only hue in your space. Be sure it is one that harmonises with any existing or planned elements. Consider your paint colour in relationship to your furniture, fabrics, and accessories, as well as trim, flooring, and other surfaces such as brick, countertops, and fixtures. For example, if your wood has a warm yellow-orange tone to it, you probably will not want to paint the walls orange too. Consider a cooler tone — like blue — instead to balance it out.
#3: How is the room situated?
Ask yourself if you know everything there is to know about the room’s context. Does the room face the north or south? Does it get morning light or afternoon light? Is there a lot of natural light, or do nearby buildings block the sun all day long? All these factors will change the look of a colour on the wall, at different times of the day and you will need to take them all into account.
#4: How will the room be used?
Is this a room for sleeping, taking a shower, or being creative? The colour of the walls will have implications for each of these activities. You might not want to sleep in a room with bright coloured walls, but it might be a great place to get some work done. Or, you might not want to put on makeup in a green bathroom — it might make your skin look, well, green. Again, it is all up to you, but colour does have an impact.
#5: What finish do I need?
Finish is just as important as the colour of your paint. Not as fun, certainly, but it still deserves consideration. Get to know the properties of eggshell, flat, semi-gloss, and so forth. Figure out what will work best in the space you plan to paint. It will depend on a number of things, including the texture of your walls, how often you will need to clean them, and whether you want to absorb or reflect light. — Sunday Life Writer/apartmenttherapy.com
derick.khumalo