Time to add a bit of colour to your life

With warmer hues coming into fashion, Kya deLongchamps recommends trying out new shades on your wall rather than relying on apps or software.

It’s something I call colour-analysis-paralysis — those naked acres of wall bearing down on your confidence and creativity. Why is choosing paint still such a miserable, nerve-wracking chore?

With CAD technology it should have all become so much easier — virtually applying full colour schemes to rooms with dimensions like our own, or even based on photographs of those very rooms. This is all undercut by the bland rider — paint colours on your PC monitor will not appear as they do on your wall.

Don’t ignore these new tools, but treat all that drag n’ drop software and apps downloaded to your phone like you would any brochure illustration, as a first step, to visualise a colour as part of a potential full scheme. Some tools are highly personable, even suggesting suitable matches to a favourite shade.

Now, emboldened and curiosity stirred, you still must do an old-fashioned, full physical test of the paint and its finish on the walls in question, judged over the course of a full day, with your furniture and with lights on and lights off.

Sandra Smeikste, colour consultant for Pat McDonnell Paint, knows just how intimidating choosing colour can be for clients and lays out the basics of the process:

“First of all, always give your chosen colour two coats, and take time — let this colour dry for 30 minutes — so that’s a full hour for every test. Choose two walls (with the darkest and the lightest aspect). Paint up a rectangle of at least 40cmx40cm directly on the plaster or stick up commercially made colour cards.

“If you’re deciding on contrast, paint next to a skirting board, ceiling or behind furniture or a curtain. Judge the colour in different lighting (daylight, evening, morning, artificial lights etc). When changing a colour completely, use a white base first to block the [original] rest of the colour.”

In-house colour teams for paint brands and paint suppliers have years of experience teaming the right shade to the right room and increasingly, colour cards reflect what real customers are responding to, buying and applying the colours that work.

What does Sandra Smeikste what she sees flying off the shelves this spring/summer?

“For the last while and until now, all the greys were extremely popular and probably will remain this way for a while, however, I have noticed that people are being tempted by warmer greys or beige.

“Beige tones can appear quite grey (depending on the light) and yet preserve the warmth. Good examples would include Dulux’s Mid Cinder and Moon Sand and Colourtrend’s Oyster Bed and Mucky Swan.

“These beige tones or greys are perfect neutrals and work well with soft powdery, pastel tones such as Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue and Green Blue. They work equally well with deep hues such as Dulux’s Fine Line and Colourtrend’s Heathcliff; Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green, and statement loud colours including Dulux Chia and Salinger, Colourtrend’s French Mustard, and Farrow & Ball’s Vardo.

“Deep colours are becoming more and more popular,” Sandra says, “and people feel braver, using them not only as an accent or statement, but as a main colour in a room, on all walls. Trending examples would include Colourtrend for its Templar Grey and Dressage, and F&B Green Smoke.

“This spring also brings a wave of blue, teal and green hues (strong and soft), some in combination with strong and heavy navy, deep green and mustard/golds.

“Good choices in blue, green and teal would include Dulux Mid Jute, Pale Peacock, Pearl Green, Mint Pod and Colourtrend’s Greengage, Bunratty, Heron Island and Elfin and F&B’s Vert de Terre, Oval room Blue and Tresa’s Green.

“Strong colours? Try Dulux Jamie Blue, Colourtrend’s Inkwell, and F&B Studio Green.”

Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux Ireland, confirms a trend towards darker, more stand out colour as a neutral.

“We are seeing interesting movement in terms of people’s paint colour choices.

Irish homeowner’s attitudes are rapidly changing in that they are seriously embracing dark shades with intensity and depth.

“In yesteryears, these deep shades such as Gatsby Blue by Moda would have been a step too far, but now they are simply viewed as dark neutrals.

Heartwood from Dulux.

“While many are keen to see the back of grey, it’s definitely here to stay along with our winner for 2018, Heartwood.

“Perfectly Greige remains one of the most popular or our tones — that soft grey with subtle beige undertones.

“We’ve also seen huge interest in soft and sophisticated blues including Moda’s Robin Egg and our Denim Drift which definitely has a chic Hamptons vibe.”

Paint like a pro

- Fill holes with suitable caulk including areas around door and window-frames. Sand off uneven plaster and proud filling. Dust walls.

- Use masking tape to mark off skirting, ceilings, door frames and switches (green painters’ tape is low tack and easy to shift). Leave for 24 hours after you have finished painting. Pull off at a 45-degree angle.

- Check the surface. Naked plaster should be primed (or it will suck down your expensive, acrylic-rich emulsion) and darker shades of paint will require a suitable undercoat. Ask your supplier for a suitable product. If you have two cans of paint and are convinced they are slightly different, try mixing them in a larger container.

- ‘Cut in’ ceilings, skirting, wall edges, windows and doors with a medium-sized 2-2½” emulsion brush. This takes time but makes for a much crisper job. Use a plastic shield (just a couple of euro), to set and protect other areas as you work.

- Finish by rolling over the areas with your roller as close in as possible to face in the different finishes.

- Learn ‘wet-edging’ to prevent unattractive joins as one area of wall dries before you have done an adjoining area.

- Rolling should be worked quickly over each wall for best results, working down out of a top corner.

- For brushwork — dip to no more than a third of the brush’s full depth.

- Don’t overload the nap of your roller. Use the textured side to run off excess before you start.

- Use cling-film to wrap wet brushes and rollers if you have to break off for a few hours or overnight.

- The next day, sand and wipe down any woodwork you have painted before applying the next.

Designer's choice

Interior’s expert, Hannah Lordan offers her picks of this season’s tried and trusted colours.

“Well, for me, spring/ summer 2018 is all about colour and I would argue it’s time to leave that grey area. It’s about time. Neutrals are versatile and reliable for any interior scheme, and currently, 2018 is moving to warm neutrals, griege above all, a mix of grey and beige.

I love it, as it bridges the gap between contemporary grey and classic beige. It is easier to work with, and co-ordinate almost effortlessly with most colours, like accents of yellow ochre, truffle, camel, burnt oranges, red, turquoise. Purple is in, for a statement. Be bold — pair it with gold or yellow. Think complementary colours.

Then there are rusty oranges, blush, pinks, peach and terracotta.

Believe it or not, salmon has resurfaced. Dark moody hues are also holding their own. I love darker walls like a deep inky blue or green to create drama, it’s how you dress it afterwards that matters.

Nature is having a massive influence in design right now — that large green plant in a room that swallows that bare corner.

Green, really is my obsession, it’s such an easy colour to live with and you can go to town with drama or tone it way down and calm your space.”

- Hannah Lordan is an interior designer and owner of Hannah Lordon Interiors, Penrose Wharf, Cork. www.hannahlordaninteriors.ie, [e-mail]