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Sophie Robinson
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25 Apr 19

How to introduce colour in your home

Interior designer Sophie Robinson shares her tips on adding colour to a home. When planning a scheme Sophie starts with a fabric or wallpaper swatch, shown here in her home office in equally colourful #homeoffice #moodboard #interiordesign #sophierobinson

If I have one mission in life it’s to get people to invest in making their homes more colourful because I know it unlocks a happy home. While I appreciate for some people, grey or beige is indeed Nirvana, I refuse to believe that for the majority of people this is true. The swathes of greige are more likely because people are afraid or don’t know how to do anything else. It’s why I enjoy running my Colour workshops so much, as I get to see the life-affirming moment when people discover what colours they love, that lift them up, and that work together and that are perfect for them. Not the neighbour, not the mother-in-law and certainly not just for the Instagram grid. If this sounds like it’s just what you need, sign up to my next workshop in Brighton on June the 13th, details here and I promise you’ll find it mind-blowing just how powerful getting connected to colour is. Meanwhile, before you clutch for the Elephants Breath, read on, here are my sure fire ways to easily and effectively add colour to your home.

Different hues of the same colour can create very different feelings

Tap into the feeling

Choosing a colour, let alone the tone of that colour, can be overwhelming. There’s not just blue; there’s sky blue, baby blue, navy…the list goes on. The best question to ask yourself, is ‘How do I want this room to feel?” Colour is a massive mood changer and different tones of the same colour can create very different feelings. If you want a warm, cosy living room, look at colours with yellow and red tints in them. It doesn’t have to be the obvious earthy tones, a blue like teal is a warm hue because of the yellow undertone. In contrast for a starker, more dramatic look, opt for a clean colour like bright cobalt blue or a sophisticated cool navy.

Add accessories

For the faint-hearted, I often suggest going neutral for the big ticket items like the sofa, flooring and curtains and then adding the colour with accessories. A bold feature floor rug (the largest you can afford), brightly coloured lampshades (switch up those shop bought cream ones), scatter cushions (you can never have too many) and wall art all combine to make an interesting colour scheme- but can be easily changed and updated over time.

An accent rug and scatter cushions can provide colour, pattern and personality to your interior as shown in this room designed by Bluebell Gray

If in doubt, just paint

The most transformational yet cost effective way to update your home is in a pot of paint. I’m serious, for the price of a tub and a weekend with a roller in your hand you can totally transform the look, feel and vibe of your room. My mantra is just go for it, it’s only paint and with Spring being the season for bank holiday weekends it couldn’t be a better time to decorate! Check out my video on how to choose a paint colour here.

Think outside the box

Use colour in unexpected ways. I’ve got a thing at the moment for painting the doors in my house surprising colours because it just makes me smile. Especially if the colour is yellow. But why not start off with a bold new hue for your front door. Nothing gives a great first impression than a bonny bright colour, so don’t be afraid to stand out.

 

Dare to be different with your colour options. Stairs painted in Trumpet by Little Greene

Create a cohesive colour palette

Stick to a cohesive colour palette and use this as your basis to design all the rooms in your home so there is some flow. While you’ll want each room to be different it helps if they work as a set. It’s really important to dig deep and work out which colours and hues resonate with you. This is at the core of my colour workshop as once you have discovered your colour palette and how to combine colours that sit harmoniously you are unstoppable. If you’re stuck on where to start you can begin by looking in your wardrobe to see the colours you naturally pick out.

Start with a swatch

I often start with a colourful wallpaper swatch or a fabric sample to build a colour scheme around. You’ll find a combination of colours which all sit nicely together, from neutrals through to brighter accent colours. You can use the pattern as your colour palette picking out different colours for walls, upholstery and curtains.

Alternative Flooring rug in the bedroom of interior designer sophie robinson. Liberty flowers of thorpe summer garden rug by Alternative flooring in a deep blue berdoom painted smalt by little greene.

This Flowers of Thorpe Rug from Alternative flooring was pivotal in pulling together the colours in this bedroom scheme I designed. Photography by Alun Callender

Think in threes

I find that three is a bit of a magic number when pulling a scheme together with the hero colour being around 60-70% of the scheme (think walls, floors or large pieces of furniture) then the secondary colour being around 20-30% (for example soft furnishings) with the final accent colour around 10-5% (that’s cushions, artwork and vases). You can add neutrals in with this, I call them a free colour, and can be found in wood flooring and furniture for example.

Create a mood board

Before stocking up on paint, compile a mood board. You can start on Pinterest, but don’t plan everything online. Call in some colour cards because they can look completely different on the Internet, and remember that colours form relationships with other colours, so it’s important to print off pictures of your rug, sofa and so on, put them all on one sheet of paper with the colour cards and make sure they sit nicely together — that’s where the skill is.

 

Guests on my colour workshop learn how to create colour schemes through mood boarding. Photograph by Katie Spicer

Just do it

Worrying about what other people will think of your interiors is “insanity”, and my biggest piece of advice is to “go with your gut.” Some people look at rooms that I design and think they’d give them a complete headache. I don’t get offended by that. It’s just not for them. It’s impossible for everyone to like everything you do anyway because we all have different tastes. Do what you want in your own house and enjoy it. You’ll only be disappointed if you don’t!

Come join the colour revolution

For a space on my exclusive Ban the Beige colour workshop follow the link here. It’s an enjoyable and informative day packed full of unleashing creativity, discovering your own sense of style, pulling together your own colour palette and leaving you ready to design your house with ease. And the whole event is held in an inspirational venue, delicious food and the best company guaranteed.

My Ban the beige workshop is a great opportunity to get my colour scheming advice. Photography by Katie Spicer

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Catch Sophie In All Her Colourful Glory On Instagram

According to some recent research 24% of us look t According to some recent research 24% of us look to friends and family for design Inspiration, 21% to makeover tv shows and 18% to instagram. But while it’s great gathering ideas and opinions, ultimately creating a stylish home has to come from you if you are going to love the home you live in. The extraordinary Colour Psychology framework helps you unlock the colour palette that is perfect for you and gives you the superpower to create rooms that feel as good as they look. Suddenly other peoples opinions, trends, and influencers no longer hold sway. Creating a home is deeply personal, an exploration of what makes YOU happy. For me it’s all about the pattern, texture and plenty of intense colour. Tasteful grey interiors leave me feeling flat, I love the energy of a colour clash! If you want to understand your relationship with colour and how to design schemes that affect your emotions in a positive way, this is the last weekend to enrol in my online course, Colour Psychology for interiors. You can find the link to learn more up in my bio. It’s my most popular course to date and has transformed the way thousands of people feel about their interior spaces. 
Let me know what your happy colours are down in the comments below. 

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📷 @aluncallenderphoto styling @katemcphee #colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #ihavethisthingwithcolour #myeclectichome #patternclash #maximalistdecor #colourcourse #mycolourfulinterior #punchyhome #cosyhome #countryliving #bedroom
Did you know 50% of people use social media to fin Did you know 50% of people use social media to find inspiration on how to decorate their living rooms? I’m definitely one of them! That’s according to a study by Sky Glass, the streaming TV from @sky_uk . I’ve been investigating the latest interior trends we are lusting after, and how our living rooms are changing- as we say goodbye to three piece suites, and hello to sustainable vintage furniture, statement rugs, wall prints and cosy-ing up the sofa with throws and cushions. As you can see I’m all over the trends! If you head over to the @sky_uk channel today, I’ll also be answering some interior design questions all about styling your TV. Would love to hear what you think are the living room trends to watch. 
 #skyglass #ad 

#banthebeige #colourlover #livingroomdecor #livingroom #maximalistinteriors #livingroomdecore #livingroomdecorideas #homestyle #instahomedecor #chintz #colourmyhome #colourmehappy #cushionlove #styleithappy #florals #gallerywall #berberrugs #ihavethisthingwithpatterns #ihavethisthingwithcolour
Ah @the_rhs Chelsea! What a feast for the eyes! In Ah @the_rhs Chelsea! What a feast for the eyes! Inbetween biblical downpours, thunder and lightning, it was a wonderful day of colour, design and chatter with some wonderful women! I’m slowly falling in love with gardening and my phone roll is full of inspiration after being immersed in natures finest. Thanks @michelleogundehin and @hazelgardinerdesign @thesohoagencyuk for the company. And a big congratulations Hazel on this stunning floral installation. And don’t forget if you want to hang out and be inspired by all things colour then my FREE live webinar is on tonight (25th) at 7pm tonight! Hop on to my profile for the link to sign up. Cannot wait to share some inspirational colour filled time with you all 

#rhschelsea
This is the first room we decorated after our reno This is the first room we decorated after our renovations. The entrance to your home creates the first impression. It’s also the room you walk into first thing in the morning and when you return home at the end of a long day. It needs to create the right welcome and what that feels like is hugely personal. For me I chose my favourite colours, this powerful cobalt  blue has always been a colour I’m drawn to. My wardrobe is full of it. And the bright pink is another one that always makes me instantly happy. Together they are a striking combination and I think anyone who walks through my front door, immediately gets a sense of what I’m about. I’m passionate about creating interiors that authentically  reflect the people who live there. Studying the psychology of colour made it so much easier for me, giving me a deeper understanding on the affects of colour and streamlining my process. If you’d like to know how to unlock your colour super power, join me for a free webinar this Wednesday evening (available to up for 48 hours after). It an introduction into colour psychology for interiors and my hope is it inspires you to have the courage and conviction to know what’s right for you.  And for a deeper dive my online course Colour Psychology for interiors has opened for enrolment. All links to sign up are in my bio on my profile @sophierobinsoninteriors 
What does your hallway say about you? 
📷 @aluncallenderphoto 
CREDITS walls in lazuli by @zoffanyfw stair runner @roger_oates floor tiles @claybrookstudio door painted in rose ash @sanderson1860 

#colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebiege #punchyhome #hallway #boldcolourinteriors #colourlover
My kitchen, the heart of my home. The smallest, da My kitchen, the heart of my home. The smallest, darkest room in the house with no view, but that’s old houses for you! You’ll often find the kitchen in the worst place. So to amp up the joy I chose a forest green (hunters green by @zoffanyfw) for the cabinets to mirror the woodland outside. We sourced reclaimed school science lab work tops and I wrapped the room in one of my favourite papers, Rubarber by @borastapeter. Tom put in retro fit underfloor heating and we used reclaimed terracotta tiles from @ca_pietra_  so the floor looks as old as the house but feels so warm! . For the ugliest darkest room in the house it’s become our favourite because of the colours, patterns and rustic textures.that’s the power of great interior design! 
Next up in my series of posts about the psychology of colour is the Autumn personality. You’ll have a love of rich deep warm Colours, natural finishes, nature inspired patterns and period features. The autumn palette is warm, earthy abs rich and perfect for making spaces feel cosy and inviting. 
To learn more about the autumn personality, hop on up to my bio and click the link to be taken to the blog. And you can sign up to my FREE webinar I’m hosting next Wednesday if you’d like to learn more about this powerful framework. 
Meanwhile have a gorgeous weekend! 
📷 @aluncallenderphoto Styling @katemcphee 

#colourpsychology #banthebeige #autumnpersonality #colourpsychologyforinteriors #kitchen #greenkitchen #countryhomesandinteriors #countrykitchen #ihavethisthingwithcolor #myeclectichome #maximalistdecor
Come and join my FREE webinar on Colour Psychology Come and join my FREE webinar on Colour Psychology next Wednesday 25th at 7pm GMT 🤩 hop on up to the link in my bio @sophierobinsoninteriors to register.
My brilliant online course, Colour Psychology for Interiors, is open for enrolment this month, so if you fancy finding out a bit more about this utterly game changing framework I’d love to have you join. It’s SO MUCH more than ‘ red is energising’, ‘blue is calming’ stuff you’ve all heard before. This is a deep dive into discovering how colours work, how to harmonise them and discovering your own unique and authentic style. Only then can you create a home you live and one that supports you emotionally. I LOVE teaching this stuff because the feedback I get from students is mind blowing! Don’t take my word for it, sign up for the free webinar today! 😍 and if you’ve already done my course, please share in the comments below what you loved about it. 

#colourfulhome #colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #colourlover #confidentcolour #confidentcolourscheming
Have you found your design mojo? Do you gravitate Have you found your design mojo? Do you gravitate towards a style of interiors that just feels so ‘you’. Making a home is so much more than creating beautiful squares for Instagram. It has to FEEL right and this is where the psychology of colour comes in. Colour is light, it has an energy which directly impacts your brain and emotions. And we all have a unique relationship to it. So rather than follow the crowd, be swayed by trends it’s so important to understand your own authentic relationship with colour. Over on the blog today I’m starting a series of posts all about the seasonal colour personalities. First up is spring which is all the joy, uplift and energy. My bathroom, pictured above, is very ‘spring’ with light reflecting walls, energetic patterns and bright colours. The mood  is uplifting, fresh and feel-good. Hop on up to my link in my profile to read the blog post in full and discover if you are a Spring personality and how to create rooms that reflect this joyful mood. 
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📷 @aluncallenderphoto 

#colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #colourfulhome #colourlover #ihavethisthingwithcolor #spring #springbpersonality #colourfuldecorchallenge #homedecor #myeclecticmix #bathroom #bathroominspo
So proud of mr best mate @sophieabbottartist who o So proud of mr best mate @sophieabbottartist who opens her house this weekend to showcase her artwork in her home as part of Brightons artists open houses. She’s always been a creative whirlwind and keeps the joy of colour alive in her paintings inspired by the sea, and the local woodlands that surround her home in Brighton. For Sophie, colour gives her life, she’s the ultimate joy monger and I’m so blessed to have her as my side kick in life. If you get a chance today, pop round to heed for a bolt if the feel good vibes

#artistopenhouses #brighton #colourlover #banthebiege #ihavethisthingwithcolour
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