Popular Interior Colours and How To Use Them

When it comes to designing your home interior, you can make a significant difference by considering colour theory. Colour theory describes how different hues impact the atmosphere of an environment by evoking different emotions. 

While it may be tempting to fill your home with your favourite colours - particularly if you’re partial to a maximalist aesthetic - it is vital to think about the end result. Your home should reflect your personality whilst being a pleasant environment for all household members. In light of this, let’s take a look at some popular interior colour choices and how you can include them in your home. 

Neutrals

The beauty of a room painted with a neutral palette is that it is exceptionally easy to style. Neutral colours offer a blank canvas that doesn’t interfere with other elements of design and decoration. In terms of colour theory, neutral tones represent peace and relaxation, so including these tones within your home will make for an altogether tranquil environment. That said, overuse of neutrals can make a space appear monotonous and flat, so you may wish to include pops of texture and varying shades to create depth and interest, such as deep hardwood flooring or stark white kitchen tiles. 

Pastels

Like neutrals, pastels evoke a calming effect with a touch of femininity and cheerfulness. Pastel tones are perfect for filling a space with colour without being too overbearing and garish. That said, innovative styling to create balance is the key to making pastels contemporary rather than reminiscent of your childhood bedroom. For example, pairing your pastels with deep tones or patterns featuring geometric shapes will offset their saccharine character. Cool-toned pastels pair remarkably well with the warmth and integrity of hardwood furniture.

Forest Green

Forest green is currently all the rage regarding interior design. As the name would suggest, forest green represents nature, but it is also associated with balance, growth and persistence. Therefore, forest green would be a perfect tone for an office or reading area. Darker tones can be a little challenging to style, particularly if your environment doesn’t get a lot of natural light, so create balance by including pale accents in your decor. Nevertheless, forest green pairs equally well with copper, brass and wooden elements for a rich, sophisticated atmosphere. 

Navy Blue

Similar to forest green, deep shades of blue such as navy and indigo, represent stability and importance. As is the case with any darker hue, navy can make a room appear smaller unless styled well. Opt for contrasting shades for your soft furnishings, such as mustard, peach or pale neutrals. However, in keeping with an atmosphere of sophistication and quality, include oak furniture and plush fabrics. You could even lean into a celestial or Art Deco theme with pops of gold, silver and stylised geometric motifs. 

Black

Black may be an intimidating colour to style, but you can make your home appear remarkably stylish and chic. Black makes for an excellent accent colour and can be styled with just about anything - this is why black leather furniture, appliances and countertops are so popular. Still, you can be bold with black by painting entire rooms, provided plenty of paler accents and are added to create depth. While black traditionally represents luxury, its modern connotations lean more towards simplicity and functionality, making it ideal for a kitchen or even bathroom with plenty of verdant houseplants. 

Yellow Ochre

Bold and bright, yellow is undoubtedly a statement colour. However, less imposing shades such as mustard and yellow ochre have risen in popularity in the last decade and are firmly on trend for home interiors in 2023. Warm yellows represent creativity and diversity, as well as cheerfulness and optimism. Still, it is entirely possible to go overboard with yellow, making for a headache-inducing environment. Opt for yellow ochre feature walls and soft furnishings to maintain an aesthetically pleasing balance. 

Grey/Silver

Grey and silver are vastly popular choices for bedrooms and living rooms, pairing well with stereotypically opulent ornamentation, such as chandeliers, glass-top tables and large mirrors. While silver represents wealth and glamour, grey evokes feelings of neutrality and stability. Some may think filling a space with grey and silver tones is an excellent way to make a home appear expensive; however, it can look a little flat, so create depth and balance with varying shades and textures.