Neon colours add a sense of adventure
WHEN neon colours jived their way back into room-scapes, I was shocked. My immediate thought was that a group of erudite interior designers in an upper room of the ivory tower are having yet another private celebration. Here we go — another covert, couture trend, mouth-watering staged at screaming expense in some cavernous Berlin penthouse which could never translate in any practical sense to the scale of a standard house. Happily, new acid brights in small zesty quantities present a perfect punch of joyful colour. Young? Yes. Fashionable? Yes, but in painted accents and ornamental additions — so easy to undo, so relax. This is get-happy, glowing colour adventure for everyone, with plenty of up-cycling, accessorising and straightforward DIY potential to tickle up a well behaved room.
Set against the sensation for sleek metres of white, mid-century putty greys and 70s prints, neon choices can lower their pulse. Allow hysteric colours to relax against laid back pastels in the same colour family of yellows, blues, greens and even pink. Look for a chalky undertone and go large with this lower note, confining the searing colour to one wall, or dashes of flash. Stencil a bold geometric pattern on a white or pale grey scheme indicating wallpaper, or take one outrageous paper to a short lack lustre wall (my choice would have to be Quirke & Rescue’s pulsating optical illusionary. www.quirkandrescue.com).
That ombre influence of dip-dying hair went up the walls last year in a fade effects, and fluorescent colours are ideal for this, taken from the lower half of the wall and washing up into pure white. Use this trick to push back a low ceiling (see our how-to guide).
The hunger for retro design re-ignited an interest in ethnic print around 2010, and these exotic arrivals still led the market last year, so chances are you have the odd Aztec cushion hanging around the living area. Refresh monochrome tribal textiles, curtains and rugs against solid blocks of neon green, pink or yellow. Remnants are ideal for a first try at a set of glowing cushions. Buy the ready-made filler, sew three seams on the wrong sides of two identical pieces of your remnant, add a button or Velcro opening and you’re there. For full instructions on a simple cushion, the creative notice board of the World, PinInterest ( www.pininterest.com) presents gentle 101 guides.
When we first started tarting up old furniture, and took a skip beyond French inspired shabby chic to 20th century re-inventions, our colour choices were relatively tame, heritage favourites. If you want to see what’s going on in loved up furniture this year, take a trip to The Restore in Fermoy, where 30s china cabinets are juiced up in powerful orange chalk paint, and tailored inside in tropical wallcoverings. Formerly boring factory-made dining sets €150-€200 in any second-hand emporium), thrill in turquoise and bitter lemons, lifted with genuine period fabrics and cheap happy metres of cotton prints from IKEA.
Down at the Paint Pot on Patrick’s Quay, Cork, Annie Sloane delicious chalk paints, deliver a royal dazzle in Empowers Silk, ideal for the Radiant Orchid trend predicted by colour reviewers Pantone for spring 2014, and now finding its way straight to reimagined accent furniture. www.thepaintpot.ie.
With the sodden weather beating us smartly around the chops, no wonder there’s a retail taste for the tropics with day-glo devil-may-care. If you fancy some neon bights without the work, Abigail Ahern’s curious pieces for Debenhams include hilarious bird lamps, shelving and more. Green Gorgeous, a new Irish company are rocking formerly demure dining tables across the country with their funky felt napkins, table mats and coasters.
Who could resist that fabulous neon purple, magenta, orange, a cool grey and an Irish-inspired green from just €19.95 a set. www.greengorgeous.ie. Miho, a German studio supply kits in MDF for build your own wall pieces including hippy print stags heads and fabulous fish ( www.zuloh.com).
Klickity self-assembly shades in just about every shape (Fig in yellow or orange at €59.95 would be my choice) can offer a wink of bright chic colour without beating your space to death. www.klickity.ie.
Now, if you’re broke after the Christmas feasting, don’t be downhearted. MT Washi tape can be used to seduce boring blank neutral accessories. If you can stick masking tape to it, you can use Washi tape. Wind up candlesticks, bedposts, outline a door or window. Put a single bar of colour on some clear glass jars on the kitchen shelves. Clip the tape into small strips and experiment in suggested (and easily reversible) wall effects with ticks, stripes and outlined designs. Sets on eBay start around €5 or try Paperchase. www.paperchase.co.uk.
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