The Summer Revamp

The Summer Revamp

Summer is the perfect time to paint your home, revamp your furniture, repaint cabinets, and add colour to bring back life to your home after a long, dreary winter. One of the trends that are taking over interior design is the 60-30-10 rule.

What is this rule exactly? Well, take a look at any room in a home magazine or a designer’s portfolio. If you pay close attention to how the colours mesh together, you’ll notice that the rooms that look the most pleasant are divided into 60-30-10 percentages. This means that 60% of the room should have a dominant colour scheme, 30% of the room is made up of a secondary or complimentary colour, and 10% of the room should have an accent colour. This rule is great to follow if you feel a bit intimidated by the process of revamping your rooms.

There is also the undeniable fact that colour has an effect on your mood and how you perceive your rooms. Colours are cut into three categories: active, passive, and neutral. Specific colour groups will invoke these type of emotions. If you need help answering what colours affects you and how, look in magazines and decorating books. Be mindful of the colour and how it affects your perception. While for most people the colour red is an active colour, for example, for you it can be neutral, or perhaps even passive. Colour and its psychological value are largely subjective and open to interpretation.

Recommended Summer Colours By Room

Bedroom. The summer colours in your bedrooms should brighten your spirits. Emulate the feeling and the aesthetic of a cool summer breeze through your open window with light greens, soft aquamarines, and sandy tan beach colours. If you have space, think of adding a new piece of furniture like a coloured couch with accent pillows that will become the centrepiece of your bedroom. Soft pastels are also a favourite for many homeowners.

Kitchen. Warm colours like reds stimulate the appetite and are an excellent choice for kitchens. Red is incredibly versatile, since there is a myriad of variations of a red that you can derive from this colour tree. You can apply red on the walls, cabinetry, or as a backdrop. If you need something more relaxed but still energizing, you can’t go wrong with the colour white. It feels fresh and clean, drawing out emotions of cleanliness and sanitation, which you may want to project into your kitchen. A summer colour trend that we are seeing is cobalt blue being a dominant colour in the kitchen. It’s striking yet calm and welcoming. Corals and fresh limes are also colours that are becoming popular.

Living room. In the living room, you have more space to show off your aesthetics. Tassels, feathers, and fringing are here this season. This trend can add a beautiful handmade quality to your living room, adding tactile cushions and sumptuous throws of different colour hues while still following the 60-30-10 can bring your living room to the next level.

Bathroom. There used to be a time where the bathroom was overlooked for other rooms – but now there is a renewed interest in bathroom aesthetics. While neutral shades like beige and creams have always been popular, trends are leaning more to bolder palettes that create a more cheerful place. Vivid lavenders, turquoise, and fire engine reds are viable choices. If you don’t want to overrun your bathroom and make it too busy, try adding small doses of cheerful colours in the form of bathroom accessories, fringing, or a ceramic bathroom set.