·        Ceiling paint

Never paint a ceiling dead white because all white paint has a bit of gray in it, and it takes the room down. Paint the ceiling a cream shade.



·        Matching shades

Never match you walls to a colour in one of your fabrics. It will be too strong. Find a grayed-out version of the colour.



·        Neutral balance

The biggest mistake people make when they’re trying to be colourful and exciting is to forget that you need to balance it with neutrals, otherwise it ends up looking like a colour wheel.



·        Continuity matters

Even if you don’t use the same colours everywhere, the rooms still feel connected. The bedroom should never feel like it’s in a completely different house from the living room – the whole house has to make sense as one.



·        Contrast concerns

One of the biggest mistakes people make with neutrals is not enough contrast. A room of creams and beiges needs something stark and shiny white. And something black. You have to interject elements that add intense personality. Make it gusty, or else it’s boring.



·        Don’t go overboard

When any colour scheme is taken too seriously, it loses its power. You need to know when to pull back.



·        Picture yourself in the space

People don’t take into account how they’ll look in a room when choosing a colour.


·        Let a room evolve

You don’t have to commit to colour all at once, play with it as the rooms evolve. Start with one palette and then mix things in.



·        Choose the right finish

Darker colours can read very flat, so use a high-luster finish. Good prep is key to any high-luster paint finish, so skim-coating the walls really helps. If the walls are well prepared, you can get a deep, rich gloss without going to the expense of lacquering.



·        Depth issues

Deep colours contain many other hues, and you have to be just as concerned about the secondary shades that are blended in. Colours that have no depth are oddly fluorescent. They will leap out at you, rather than pull you in. it’s a subtle difference, but failure to recognize it is what sometimes makes people afraid of using colour.