Colour blocking is one of the biggest trends in interior decorating this summer. It is a fabulous and inexpensive way to create a statement in a room. You can create an instant focal point in a room and you don’t even need a fireplace wall to do it.

Colour blocking is a fantastic way to define large living spaces and can divide a living room from a dining room by using this technique.  Depending on the colours you choose colour blocking can present eye catching contrasts with a a strong and powerful statement.

For those of you who are not familiar with the term colour blocking it refer to painting the walls in a room in a series of blocks and shapes rather than decorating the walls with artwork. Colour blocking is done by selecting zones on a wall or ceiling and painting them a different colour from the main wall colour.

The beauty about colour blocking is it can be done in whatever blocks size you choose and can be done with as many colours as you want. Colour blocking shouldn’t be just limited to wall colours, floors, furniture and accessories should all be incorporated into the colour blocking theme. 

As you can see imaginations are the limit when it comes to using this technique. Stripes, circles, rectangles or a mix of all three can be used.  If you’re using more than one tone you can place these varying shapes side by side or overlap them to create a diverse look.  Using circles and curved lines tend to invoke a light and fun feeling, whereas rectangles and sharp edges can create a more serious space.

Colour choices are endless when it comes to colour blocking and you can achieve a true fashion statement by painting at least three varied sizes of blocks on a wall in many colours. There is no excuse for not introducing colour into your home and I think the brighter the better. Bright colours doesn’t have to mean a home that resembles a circus, these colours can have dusty undertone that allow other shades to sit comfortably beside them. Place with subtle contrasting block colours for an eclectic look or keep your walls and accessories in neutral colour and let your floor do all the talking.

Colour blocking can be used to create a fun look or a sophisticated look, so your colour choice will depend on the type of atmosphere you want to create in a room. Choose subtle colour combinations according to colour cards i.e. the colours right next to each other. This will create a serene feeling while also making the room more inviting.

Create a sense of playfulness by choosing colours that are on the opposite end of the colour wheel such as purple and yellow. Add excitement to a room by choosing accent colours that are not from the same family. For example choose varying shades of yellow with an accent colour such as brown, green or orange.

Lemon and lime are a perfect combination to create a large feature wall.  Divide a large feature wall into oversized squares for maximum impact. Add creams and pale greens to create a soft balance. Purple and Green is one of my much loved colour combinations.

For those of you who are little weary about using this technique, why not use a colour palette from a favourite piece of artwork as inspiration. You can then start by adding colour combinations subtlety in your home such as creating the illusion of a headboard (check out my blog last week) or highlight a wall décor by using colour blocking as a frame.

Happy colour blocking!

Neville