Tag Archives: weekend colour inspiration

weekend colour inspiration – grey and mustard yellow colour scheme

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There are a few pairs of colours that are just perfect together. Dark grey and mustard yellow in a colour scheme is one of those parings - demonstrated beautifully by this image we spotted on Pinterest.

This has to be one of our favourite images at the moment. The dark grey wall has a great depth and almost warmth, making it the perfect foil for the rest of the pieces. Textural interest is brought into the mix with the varieties of timber, in pale to deep and the grey is able to hold all the colours together in a harmonious way.

But the true stars of the shot are the dark grey and the mustard yellow. They are just a perfect pairing.

Highlighted with a little pop of pink and turquoise blues, in essence you have got an almost 50′s inspired colour scheme, but interpreted in a very modern way. The Hare print brings all the colours together and ties each piece neatly into one.

A wonderful eclectic interior design image - and one of our all time favourite colour scheme images featured here on weekend colour inspiration.

Yet another colour scheme that shows just why dark grey is one of our favourite colours.

(image by Armille Habib for Fenton and Fenton Rugs)

Weekend colour inspiration – mint green and orange

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There are many colour combinations which are well known and well used. They are safe and trusted, like apple pie and custard. But every now and again you see a colour combination which on paper should not work, but when installed, possibly does.

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We spotted this shower installation over at Apartment Therapy and were instantly drawn to how different it was.

The mint tiles are pretty standard, but the orange shower head is very out of the norm but somehow we think it works quite well.

We do tend to think of sanitary ware as being white and showers and taps being metallic  but perhaps we do need to think about different colours. We are not proposing a return to the avocado suites of the 70′s, but perhaps shaking up our bathroom metal ware could be an interesting way to go…

(taps from Vola)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – the beautiful depth of black

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We are huge fans of grey here in the claire potter design studio – and all greys, from the pale chinchilla fur greys to the deepest and darkest of greys which are edging on black. Actually, it is these deeper greys which we love the most, but what about black itself? Has black shaken the 80′s throwback status that it once had?

Well, going by this stunning image we found via The Minimalist, black could be the way to create a deep, strong yet calm room.

The Minimalist x Real Living mag March 2013-3

The amount of black used here is quite incredible, but that is exactly why the design works. Interest is introduced with the black being represented in different ways – the soft matt wooden panelling on the wall, the high gloss of the fridge and the delicacy and intricacy of the illustration on the wall.

Even though black is usually thought of as being flat, this image is anything but flat.

But the reason why is quite simple  When creating any minimal interior, it is very important to maximise the textures of the surfaces so any blandness is banished, both visually and texturally. Light falls differently over different textures so flatness is eliminated.

Also, using such a rich and deep colour such as black, otherwise neutrals such as these pieces of wooden accessories and the table are given a ‘pop’ that they would not get in another scheme.

This is a brave colour scheme, but if you are able to give it a chance, black could just be the colour for you.

(image via The Minimalist)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – accidental combinations

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Colour is a very personal thing. Colours that I love together, you could absolutely hate. Colour links into the deepest of our memories – just like a scent can transport us to a particular point in our lives, colours can take us back there too.

But sometimes we think just a little too hard about colour – and colour combinations and what ‘goes’ well together. There is a great deal to be said for the accidental and the slight clashing nature of some pairings when you are just not thinking about it. And this can be really exciting.

This image we found illustrates this perfectly – when you look at each of the colours as they sit together, there are a few really odd sections, but overall? The colours sort of blend and work as a whole, because they are all part of a similar palette – in this case, almost autumnal.

This kind of treatment is perfect for a charity shop find, or to rejuvenate a cabinet that has seen better days and is very fitting for the eclectic interior design aesthetic that we tend to work with. If the cabinet is nicely battered too and has lovely cup handles like the example above, then it sort of gets a little industrial too, which is only a good thing in our books.

(image via 16 house)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – colour on the edges…

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This week for weekend colour inspiration we are looking at a very easy and quick way to transform a room, which we spotted over at Pinterest and illustrates the fact that you do not have to colour a whole space. Colour can live on the edges…

colour on the edge

As you can see from the image  the majority of the space is very clean and white, with lots of great textures, which begin to provide interest. The inclusion of the painting brings a nice pop of orange, which could bring too much of a contrast to the area, was it not for the colour on the door.

But coloured doors are nothing unusual, despite this being quite a brave shade.

We really loved the inclusion of the coloured edge of the door.

Plus, if you did not want to paint a whole door a completely different colour, you could use this technique to get a bit of interest into the space. Just painting the edges of the door gives you the option of closing the door and removing the colour, or leaving it ajar to link spaces together.

And if this was still a bit too permanent for you, there is another way to get a very similar effect for very little investment in time and money.

Washi tape originated in Japan as a decorative, coloured and/or patterned tape for crafts and packaging and is very similar to masking tape. It is now widely available online in a variety of block colours and patterns, which would be suitable for any scheme.

2 pack MT Washi Tape - Tsugihaghi C x D

Ensure that your door edges are clean, dry and as smooth as possible, then just add your tape. If you want the edge to stay long tern, you will have to paint over the tape with clear varnish or watered down pva glue, but test it to see that the colours of the washi tape do not ‘run’.

Or, use it to get a bit of temporary interest into a space.

(images via washi tapes and house to home)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – vintage book graphic colour schemes

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We have lots of sayings that we like to use in the studio. From ’work hard and be nice to people’ to ‘why fit in when you were born to stand out?’, but my personal favourite has to be a quote from the wonderful Paul Smith.

‘You can find inspiration in everything. And if you can’t, look again’

Which is how I explain our obsession with taking photos of everything. Everything. Things, textures, fonts. Natural or man made. Design, fashion, architecture. Because you never know where your next spurt of inspiration will come from.

And whilst on our recent trip to Amsterdam we filled our phones with lots and lots and lots of stuff - many of which have featured here on the Ecospot in various forms.

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So today we are looking at another three images from the Dutch collection – three books which we spotted in an antique book fair in Amsterdam and just loved. We are suckers for nice colour combinations and nice fonts, so these were real winners and out came the phone…

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Despite their age, the colours were remarkably vibrant and were quite beautiful. The pale blue, greys and whites on the Texel book really appealed to me (lovely grey again…), but the rich oranges, reds and greens were stunning. The juxtaposition between the colours was inspiring and illustrations, well, you could have easily framed them.

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So this week we are not really showcasing a particular colour scheme  but a process – look at everything around you – explore, take photos, cut images from magazines  And not just of a finished design – stuff.

It is that ‘stuff’ that you will look back on one day and discover the germ of a new idea. Because you really can find inspiration in everything. And if you can’t, look again.

(images by claire potter design)

weekend colour inspiration – colour using light

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Last week we looked at how colour can be brought into a space with a little caution – with a display that can be easily altered and amended to suit your changing preferences. For this week for weekend colour inspiration we are looking at how you can bring colour into a space using light.

The example we have is quite extreme but shows just how light, and particularly coloured light can affect a space.

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This installation is situated in the original stairway to the Stedelijk museum in Amsterdam and is by the light artist Dan Flavin.

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Based on the shapes and colours of Mondrian, the installation brings a very ethereal feel to the otherwise white space.

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And instead of detracting from the architecture, the lighting helps to direct attention to elements of the space which could have otherwise been missed - the perimeter architrave detailing and mouldings for instance.

So when you are planning the use of colour in your own spaces, why not consider using coloured light to direct attention? LED lighting strips are now available in a whole range of set of customisable colours and are very energy efficient. Choose carefully, as it can end up a little too disco, but get the shade and intensity right and it can really add to a space.

And the great thing is that if you fancy a bit of white again, you can just turn it off…

(images by claire potter design)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – cautious colour

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We know that the use of colour is a very, very personal thing. We adore the colour grey and have fleeting love affairs with loads of other colours, depending on our clients needs, seasons and even the levels of light in a room. But there are ways of including colour into your spaces, even if you do want to be a little cautious.

Which is why, for this week we are looking at one way to get colour into your space, completely hassle free. Quick and cheap to do. Quick and cheap to change. Perfect.

We have used a very similar system in a gallery refurbishment we completed for a client who wanted to have a quick rolling display of photographs, without having to rehang everything. This great example we found on Pinterest, but comes from Young House Love.

Ledge for cards and postcards

First, decide the length of your display (using a piece of furniture as a guide is always good) and purchase timber battens to suit. They do not have to be too beefy in section if you are only displaying lightweight pieces.

 

If you can, use a router to cut a shallot slit in the batten around two thirds across the top surface. This is not essential, but it does help to locate the postcards safely.

Screw the battens to your chosen section of wall (with spacing between to suit your pictures), fill the screw holes, rub back when dry, then paint the same colour as your wall.

Then, choose your images.

And when you get bored of them, pack them away and put different ones up. An easy route for those a little cautious of colour.

(image via Young House Love)

Weekend colour inspiration – a message with Red Nose Red

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As we are sure you are aware, today is Red Nose Day or Comic Relief here in the UK – a fantastic charity which does truly inspirational work across the globe with funds raised from donations.

So, for today’s Weekend Colour inspiration, could there be any colour apart from red?

Therefore we have picked one piece to fire you up. Here is a great inspirational red image from our Pinterest boards to get you going this week…

Could you change the world

So this weeks key message? Be a bit crazy and do something great. You could just change the world in the process…

(image via associated link)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – a wall of coloured tiles

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This week on Weekend colour inspiration we are going all out with one image we found on Pinterest. It is a complete riot of colour, and we think it would be a fantastic scheme to utilise perhaps a whole range of coloured tiles which are end of lines, left over from other projects, or possibly even factory seconds?

Peyton & ByrneLondon

The most important thing with this type of colour scheme is to choose only coloured tiles in exactly the same size – the colours themselves are something which is far less important.

You could take all the colours you have, arrange them carefully to ensure that there are no strange colour clashes, then apply then to the wall, but unfortunately this can create a really contrived look.

Do not worry about which coloured tile goes where. Grab one, apply one. There will be happy accidents of great combinations and some really odd ones. This is the magic of such a scheme.

This is also a perfect way to fill one wall to create a really impactful surface as it could get a little bit too kaleidoscope for a whole room.

So, take a look at your tiles and mix it up a bit.

(image via Coloriz)