How to Use Colour With Confidence
Colour is one of the most powerful tools in design — it has the ability to evoke emotion, create mood, and define a space. And yet, so many people approach it with hesitation, as if one wrong move will throw the entire room into chaos. The truth? Colour isn’t something to fear; it’s something to harness. When used with confidence, it can transform a space from ordinary to extraordinary. But to do this well, you have to move beyond the usual advice of “stick to a neutral base” or “use a pop of colour.” Let’s go deeper.
Images from my book Style: The Art of Creating A Beautiful Home
Photography Chris Warnes | Styling Natalie Walton
1. Start With Emotion, Not Trends
Forget what’s trending on Pinterest for a moment. Instead, ask yourself: How do I want to feel in this space? Colour is deeply psychological, and its impact is personal. Warm tones like ochre, rust, and deep terracotta can create a sense of grounding and connection, while cool shades like deep blue and forest green invite calm and contemplation. Before you even think about selecting a palette, start with emotion. When you design for feeling, you create something timeless, rather than something dictated by fleeting trends. And, remember, using colour doesn’t just have to be about working with paint. You can incorporate colour through timber or textiles and accessories too.
Images from my book Style: The Art of Creating A Beautiful Home
Photography Chris Warnes | Styling Natalie Walton
2. Master the Art of Tension
Great interiors don’t just match — they contrast in a way that creates tension and depth. Instead of defaulting to a perfectly coordinated palette, embrace unexpected pairings. A rich mustard yellow against a soft lavender. Deep olive with dusty pink. Or even a classic navy offset with burnt sienna. The magic happens in the interplay of opposites, where warm meets cool, light meets dark, muted meets saturated.
If you’re unsure, use nature as your guide. Look at the colours found in landscapes — think about the contrast of bright wildflowers against earthy greens or the way the sea shifts from deep navy to soft aqua. Nature never gets it wrong.
Images from my book Style: The Art of Creating A Beautiful Home
Photography Chris Warnes | Styling Natalie Walton
3. Let Texture and Materiality Guide Your Palette
Colour isn’t just about paint. It’s about how it interacts with texture and material. The same hue will feel entirely different depending on whether it’s on a matte plaster wall, a high-gloss tile, a soft linen sofa, or a polished concrete floor. Before committing to a colour, consider the materials in the space and how they will affect its appearance.
A sage green velvet sofa will read much deeper and moodier than the same shade on a cotton or linen fabric. Similarly, a soft white on a plastered wall will feel richer and more dynamic than the same white in a high-gloss finish.
Images from my book Style: The Art of Creating A Beautiful Home
Photography Chris Warnes | Styling Natalie Walton
4. Think Beyond the Walls
One of the most overlooked opportunities for colour is beyond the standard four walls. Consider painting the ceiling a soft, moody shade to create a cocoon-like effect, or give a doorframe a bold colour for an unexpected moment of interest. Even window trims, skirting boards, or the inside of a bookshelf can be an opportunity to layer colour in a way that feels intentional yet effortless.
Another approach? Let the colour come through in furniture, artwork, and objects rather than relying on walls alone. A richly toned timber, a considered use of colour in upholstery, or an oversized, abstract painting can have just as much impact — if not more — than a feature wall.
Images from my book Style: The Art of Creating A Beautiful Home
Photography Chris Warnes | Styling Natalie Walton
5. Use Colour to Shape the Space
Colour is more than just decoration; it’s a design tool that can change how a space is perceived. Want to make a small space feel larger? A continuous colour across walls, trims, and ceiling can create a seamless effect, removing visual breaks. Need to make a room feel more intimate? A deep, enveloping shade will draw the walls in. Have an awkward architectural feature? Emphasize it with colour rather than trying to hide it.
6. Develop a Signature Palette
One of the hallmarks of great designers is that their work feels cohesive — because they’ve developed a signature approach to colour. Instead of reinventing the wheel for every project, start to refine a palette of tones that you return to time and time again. This doesn’t mean using the exact same colours, but rather developing a language of hues and tonal variations that feel authentic to your style.
To get started, take note of the colours you’re naturally drawn to in your wardrobe, in nature, in artworks that resonate with you. Pay attention to undertones — are you more drawn to warm, earthy hues or cool, moody shades? Over time, you’ll build an intuitive sense of what works, allowing you to use colour with confidence, every time.
7. Break the Rules (But Know Them First)
Once you understand the principles of colour — tone, contrast, saturation — you gain the confidence to break the so-called “rules.” And this is where real creativity comes in. Who says pink can’t be a grounding colour? Who decided that dark walls make a space feel smaller? These design myths exist to be challenged. The best way to gain colour confidence is by experimenting — test swatches, layer unexpected combinations, and trust your instincts.
Colour should never feel intimidating — it should feel liberating. When used well, it has the power to shape mood, atmosphere, and the way we experience a space. So, next time you’re faced with a blank room, don’t default to the safest option. Lean into what excites you, embrace contrast, and trust that confidence with colour comes from using it boldly and intentionally.
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