How to use colour in your home - David Roden*

Don't get stuck in neutral - experiment with colour to give your home interior a boost.

Paint one wall

You will find that you can add a real punch of colour by painting just one wall of a room. This will change the focal point without necessitating a major decorating project. If your room has a niche, that's the perfect place for extra colour. You can choose a bold, contrasting hue, or go just a shade or two darker than the other walls.

Mix it up

The mix is everything when it comes to a successful colour palette. A favourite room can be just like a favourite outfit that works with your skin tone and has layers of appealing colours. When introducing colour in a room stick to three tones -- one main colour, a secondary colour and an accent colour.

Please yourself

Inspiration for the colours you use can come from just about any item in your existing scheme: beautiful Asian wall hangings can provide a great starting point, as can a prize work of art. While the colour that predominates provides a base for the soft furnishings, you can play up the secondary and accent colours in the accessories.

Get the balance right

Complex colour schemes aren't difficult if you deconstruct the layers. If the walls are purple, and the majority of furnishings beige, consider a plaid sofa throw with purple in one of the squares. Another square could be in a complementary medium gold. Pillows could repeat the purple wall colour and the gold can be picked up in a gleaming light fixture or fan.

Follow a formula

Always check that the colours you have chosen work together by referring to a colour wheel. Colours that sit next to each other on the wheel are analogous and will create a soothing sense of harmony. Always choose analogous paint colours for rooms that lead into one another to avoid too jarring an effect. Colours across from each other on the wheel also look great together - opposites attract.

Intensity 101

Colours in a successful palette match in intensity - one shouldn't be too hot and the others washed out. A room in soft pinks, for instance, will not benefit from the addition of hot pink, which has a lot more pigment in it. You should also balance the finishes, going for an equal blend of matte and metallic.

Play with pattern

As a general rule, restrict patterns to small surfaces, for instance floral scatter pillows on a solid colour sofa. In a neutral-based scheme you can mix stripes, checks and floral, but in a colourful room avoid using too many different patterns.

Monochrome matters

Black and white can help connect and ground your colour scheme in a dramatic and effective way. Whitewashed walls provide ample balance for even the wildest mix of hues.

Get artsy

A bold piece of art not only adds a decorative touch, it also introduces colours and shapes that might be overpowering on a smaller surface. It's a mistake to choose your art to match the furnishings but at the same time, the art you choose should complement the surrounding scheme.

Add a touch of nature

Green or flowering plants add colour, fragrance and personality to a room. They will also up the feng shui. If you don't have a green thumb, ask your florist to recommend plants that require little or no care.

*Interior decorator David Roden has contributed to this article. For more information, you can contact David on 9774 3238.