Anya Cooklin-Lofting sees colourful expression in the home as something to celebrate
Iam a millennial, born into an era characterised by its magnolia-painted walls and greige carpets. Among an addiction to oat milk flat whites, a wardrobe of exclusively high-waisted garments and a dusty collection of late-nineties tapes from which I could never part, I also harbour a weakness for colour in the home, a quiet act of rebellion against the clotted cream walls of my childhood home. My parents’ generation is still reeling from wallpaper borders, brightly carpeted bathrooms and their parents’ penchant for matching wallpaper to curtain to cushion, so much so that each anachronistic instance of the 1960s and 70s style today feels to them a personal affront. Having been spared this same aesthetic hangover, I see colourful expression in the home as something to celebrate, not cower from. According to interior designers, the best and simplest way to begin to bring colour into the home is with paint, so here are a few tips from the best in the business to get started with paint in interesting and impactful ways.
Rethinking the way we bring design into the home
Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown
“If you are looking for a truly spectacular wall statement, you can create a mural. Murals generally work best in large, uncluttered spaces. If the space is limited, go for one based on simple geometric free-hand shapes. It will still work well providing a high impact. You can make a focal point mural by painting out a large square on a powder blue wall in a deep toning colour that can run over architectural details like doors and architrave for maximum effect. Pastels are surprisingly versatile and work equally well with very modern architecture or traditional features – they help to accentuate the underlying style when they are used all over walls and can even go on woodwork and ceilings.”