Asia is full of colour and magic so it is the perfect way to bring a little mystique into your home with paint. There are lots of way to bring a touch of the orient into your space by using colours that are used in Asian traditional dress, food and interior design.

Asian design sits well in living rooms and bedrooms. Due to Asian culture and philosophy on life most colours used in their design are calm and serene. It is great for bachelor pads as a welcome change from the more predictable black and grey combination. Their interior design is elegant without being too overtly girly.

There are two main colour schemes that I am going to talk you through. The first approach takes its inspiration from traditional Asian fashion, a combination of aubergines, mustard yellows and fine lilacs. These colours will sit perfectly in your living room to create a tranquil getaway to relax in.

To get the look choose one shade to feature in the room, use Armagnac on your walls with Royal Honey on a single feature wall. Use the yellow paint on the wall that you face while sitting in the room so you will be able to enjoy the contrast. Keep the architraves, doors and skirting neutral with an off cream like Classic Silk.

For the furniture it's best to have pieces that are dark wood and heavily lacquered. You can create this look easily by using an unfinished piece of furniture and staining it a dark reddish brown, such as Sadolin's Interior Stain in Mahogany. Finish with a coat of Sadolin's Polyurethane Clear Varnish for protection and a high gloss finish.

Asian style lanterns are a great lighting feature to add to your scheme. You can use units that are free standing or hang strings of small lanterns balls from one end of the room to the other. Large oriental fans or vases in the colours mentioned will also work beautifully to bring the design together.

The second colour scheme is bolder and often used in wedding decorations at Asian weddings. This scheme consists of black, pale blue, fine lilac and red. I think this set of colours sits better in a bedroom than a living room as they are very strong yet passionate colours that can work fabulously if used in the correct way. 

Look to Crown shades such as Bitter Chocolate, Scooter Red, Fine Plum and Cascade for this scheme. If you are more daring use the darker shades on a feature wall accompanied by one of the lighter tones. Alternatively use the both the pale blue and lilac as the prominent colours in the design.

You can create a relaxing, luxurious space even with these dramatic colours by using texture in the room. Use fabrics for curtains that flow wonderfully like silk and a simple bamboo shade for a contemporary look. Asian artwork can often be found on unusual canvases so make use of these where possible to introduce colour.

Finally, a blog on Asian design would not be complete without a word on Feng Shui which is all about creating a room that works in harmony with nature. While the values behind the application are complex there are simple ideas you can take from it, like don’t put your exercise equipment in your bedroom as it is supposed to be a place of rest. And try to arrange your furniture so that it does not disturb the flow of the room, i.e. keep a clear path through the room.

Happy  decorating,

Neville