Simple, friendly advice — and kind to the planet too.
If there's one thing I truly believe, it's that colour has the power to change everything. Not just how a room looks — but how it feels, how big it seems, and how happy you feel walking into it every day. And the best part? You don't need a big renovation budget or any design experience to make it happen.
Whether you're painting a whole room or simply switching up your cushions, the right colour choices can make a space feel bigger, cosier, calmer, or full of life. Let me walk you through everything you need to know simply and honestly.
Colour is more powerful than you think
One of the most surprising things I love sharing with people is this: the colour you paint a room can actually change how big or small it feels. No knocking down walls required!
Light colours open a room up. Soft whites, pale creams, and light greys reflect natural light and make walls feel further away. Perfect for small rooms, narrow hallways, or any space that feels a bit tight.
Dark colours make a room feel cosy and intimate. Deep greens, navy blues, and rich charcoals absorb light and bring the walls in — in the best possible way. A large, draughty living room can suddenly feel like a warm, welcoming retreat.
Your ceiling matters more than you think. A ceiling painted lighter than your walls will feel higher. Paint it the same shade as your walls and the whole room feels more snug and enclosed — brilliant for bedrooms.
A single bold wall creates a focal point. You don't need to paint an entire room. Just one wall behind your bed, sofa, or fireplace in a deeper colour can make a room feel wider, more defined, and far more interesting.
Simple ways to bring colour into your home
01Start with a neutral base and layer colour in. This is the approach that never fails. Start with soft, warm neutrals on your walls — creamy whites, warm beiges, or gentle greiges — and then bring colour in through cushions, throws, rugs, artwork, and plants.
02Try warm, earthy tones. Terracotta, clay, ochre, rust, and warm olive are having a huge moment right now — and honestly, they deserve it. These colours feel natural, grounded, and timeless.
Continue reading
Subscribe to CI Design Insights — considered perspectives on design and the built environment, direct to your inbox.
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe at any time.
Simple ways to bring colour into your home
01Start with a neutral base and layer colour in. This is the approach that never fails. Start with soft, warm neutrals on your walls — creamy whites, warm beiges, or gentle greiges — and then bring colour in through cushions, throws, rugs, artwork, and plants. Kelly Hoppen, one of the world's most respected designers, lives by this rule: "I always start with a neutral base and build on that."
It's also the most sustainable approach. Neutral walls don't need repainting every time trends shift, and you can completely refresh the whole feel of a room just by swapping out a few soft furnishings.
02Try warm, earthy tones. Terracotta, clay, ochre, rust, and warm olive are having a huge moment right now — and honestly, they deserve it. These colours feel natural, grounded, and timeless. They look beautiful alongside wooden furniture, natural fibres, rattan, and indoor plants. They're inspired by the world around us, which means they connect beautifully with sustainable, nature-led interiors.
Earthy tones also tend to date far less quickly than trend-driven colours, so you'll be in love with them for years to come.
03Go dark and be bold. If you've always played it safe with white walls, I want to gently encourage you to be brave. Deep forest green, inky navy, and rich charcoal are among the most stunning colours you can put on a wall. Far from making a room feel dark and gloomy, they create a sense of drama, warmth, and real personality. Your furniture and artwork will pop against them in a way they simply can't against white.
Start small if you need to — try it in a bathroom, hallway, or bedroom first. You might just fall in love.
04Try colour drenching. Colour drenching is where you take one colour and apply it to everything — the walls, ceiling, skirting boards, and door frames. It sounds a bit intense but the result is incredibly sophisticated. The room feels intentional and whole, like every detail has been considered. Soft tones like dusty pink, sage green, or warm putty work especially beautifully.
It's also a wonderfully sustainable choice — you only need one tin of paint, and you use every drop of it.
05Don't mix warm and cool tones. Here's a simple tip that makes a huge difference: stick to either warm colours (yellows, oranges, earthy reds, warm whites) or cool colours (blues, greens, cooler greys) within a single room. Mixing the two can make a space feel unsettled and a little off — even if you can't quite explain why. Choose your camp and commit to it, and everything will feel more harmonious without you having to think too hard.
"My colour scheme is always neutral — I use whites, greys, and beiges, and taupe is my absolute favourite. When you adopt a neutral palette, you can add beautiful splashes of colour that will instantly brighten up any interior." — Kelly Hoppen CBE
The sustainable side of colour
Choose low-VOC or zero-VOC paint. Standard paints contain chemicals called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) — they're what cause that strong paint smell. These chemicals get released into the air in your home and aren't great to breathe in. Low-VOC and zero-VOC paints produce far fewer of them, which is better for your health, your family, and the environment. Most major paint brands offer them now at a similar price to regular paint.
Consider natural paints. Clay, lime, and chalk-based paints are made from natural materials and are completely biodegradable. They also create beautiful, textured finishes that change subtly with the light throughout the day — something you simply can't get from a standard tin of paint.
Choose timeless colours over trends. The most sustainable room is one you love so much you never want to change it. Choosing classic, timeless colours means you won't be repainting in two years when the trend moves on — saving paint, money, and resources.
Shop secondhand for soft furnishings. Before you buy brand new cushions, throws, or rugs to bring colour in, check out your local op shops and markets first. You'll often find beautiful, unique pieces at a fraction of the cost — and give something a second life in the process.
Before you start — one golden rule
Always, always buy a sample pot and test your colour on the wall before you commit. Paint a decent-sized patch and look at it in the morning, the afternoon, and in the evening with your lights on. Colours shift dramatically depending on the light, and what looks perfect on a tiny chip in the shop can look completely different on your wall at home. It takes ten minutes and saves a whole lot of regret!
Most importantly — trust your instincts. Your home should feel like you. Pick the colours that make you smile when you walk into a room, and you really cannot go wrong.
