Guest Post | Tips on using darker colours at home

Guest post by blogger Tamsin McCahill

When we first bought our house, we played it safe, sticking with cream walls and neutral carpets. But now we’ve lived with neutral for a few years, I’d like to liven up our décor a bit by adding a bold, dark colour.

I may only be brave enough to try a dark shade on one wall, but it still represents a giant leap for my home’s colour palette. So what should I be going for? Here’s some advice I’ve found about using dark colours effectively in your home.

Just remember that while you’re in the mood to look after your home, you may like to find time to tidy up your finances and review your home insurance policy. When your home insurance needs are taken care of, you can enjoy peace of mind.

Where should I start?

If, like me, you’re using dark shades for the first time, start with a room with a large amount of natural light. Ideally, choose a room where you’d like a cosy feel, such as the living room or bedroom.  Using dark colours on some of the walls of a large open plan space can be really effective too.

What colours should I use?

According to Houzz.com, colours such as navy, dark chocolate, greys, and charcoal all work well. I definitely favour these shades because, although they are really dark, they also feel quite conservative. Something that’s dark without being loud or garish will stand the test of time.

It’s all about the contrast

Dark colours work well when contrasted with white – so team your shade of chocolate or navy with white skirting boards, ceilings or doors.  If you have one large wall in a dark colour, break it up by hanging contrasting pictures in white frames. The same goes for the bedroom, where cosy chocolate brown paint can look stunning contrasted with crisp white linens and white or cream carpets or rugs.

One dark wall may be all that’s needed

This is one trend where you don’t have to go the whole hog to create a great effect. Try one accent wall first to see if you like it.  If you don’t, it won’t be too difficult to lighten it up. But you may find that having one dark wall makes your room seem larger. You could also use this technique to highlight an architectural feature, like a fireplace.

This is a sponsored post by guest blogger Tamsin McCahill on behalf of Sainsbury’s Bank

images: apartment therapy, pinterest, houzz.com