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In
fact, DIY retailer B&Q say that over
half of us have decorated our homes at some
point with disastrous results. Their poll
of 1,000 keen homestylers found that a hefty
one in ten are still living with a dodgy
decorating job that they did five years
ago - sadly lacking the know-how, money
or energy to rectify the situation. So how
do you make sure that the end result of
your grand decorating scheme will be something
you'll be proudly showing off in years to
come - rather than cursing each time you
walk into a room?
COLOUR
IN
First
of all, sort out your colour scheme. You might be impressed with
the latest TV makeover, but is that lime green really a colour you
could live with long-term? Have a good think about your favourite
colour - and if you don't already know it, take a look at your choice
of clothes, car or furniture colours. See a pattern emerging? This
could be your base colour - the one you feel most comfortable with.
Second,
decide how you'll use this colour. If you're after a relaxed, easygoing
style, a harmonious colour scheme may well be your best bet. Take
a look at a colour wheel, which shows how colours shade into each
other, and choose colours that harmonise with (are closest to) your
favourite - for example, green shading into yellow, or red shading
into brown.
Alternatively,
how about a complementary, or contrasting colour scheme? In this
approach, you'll contrast your base colour with colour(s) that lie
opposite it on the colour wheel. So if you're a big fan of blue,
you might want to contrast it with a vibrant orange. Go carefully,
though; contrasting colours are often reserved for limited 'accent'
areas and the end result with inevitably be more daring and lively
than the relaxing feel of a harmonised colour scheme.
And
don't forget to experiment in any case. You might think you've hit
on your perfect scheme, but it will pay dividends in the long run
if you get some sample pots, apply the colours to non-absorbent
white paper and hang them around the areas you're planning to paint.
Let them dry and leave them for a few days - and see how you get
on with them.
SIZE
MATTERS
Another
big mistake that we make when decorating is choosing a colour scheme
or approach that fails to take account of the size or layout of
a room. For example, if your room has low ceilings, painting them
in a shade that is darker than the walls will instantly make them
appear lower still - so give them hight by adopting a lighter shade.
Similarly,
if the floorspace feels limited, try to paint the walls in a lighter
shade than the floor. This will help increase the sense of floorspace.
Other tips for increasing the sense of space include choosing a
'cool' colour scheme - this will boost your sense of roominess.
WARM
IT UP
One
of the problems we often encounter in north-facing homes is rooms
that don't get much sunlight - but keen decoraters often excacerbate
the problem by choosing cool colours. So again, before embarking
on a trip to the paint store, have a think about the orientation
of your chosen room and how that matches up to your colour scheme.
North-facing, but you'd planned a cool blue scheme? You might want
to think again!
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