Haven’t we all agonized over how to choose colour, especially when it comes to our homes? Choosing apple red nail polish is one thing, but when it comes to our homes, we often second-guess our every step. Should we go for greens everywhere? Incorporate our favourite aqua blue? Or shun punchy colours for tried-and-true neutrals? We asked these Canadian designers for their top tips and opinions on how to choose colour.
What’s your favourite inspirational book on colour?
“Nature, fashion and travel books.”
–Bruce Wilkin, interior designer and principal of Bruce Wilkin Design, based in Victoria
“Designers Guild Colour book is the best.”
–Debbie Travis, Montreal-based designer and TV host
“Anything by Trisha Guild or Farrow & Ball.”
–Kate Thornley-Hall, Toronto-based interior designer and the founder of Source UK
“At Home with White: I’m very into white right now – a little bit English, a little bit Swedish and very serene. Mark Hampton on Decorating: He was such a brilliant man. I love this read. It includes several chapters devoted to individual colours and their suggested uses – and his famous watercolour illustrations. The House in Good Taste by Elsie DeWolfe: Reading this tome, first penned in 1919, it’s surprising how little has changed when it comes to decorating with colour.”
–Margot Austin, Style at Home’s Senior Design Editor
What’s the new neutral?
“Benjamin Moore November Rain OC-50 and Wickham Gray HC-171; Farrow & Ball Skimming Stone 241; ICI White Wing 50GY 83/010”
-Margot Austin
“Grey.”
-Debbie Travis
“Black, white and grey.”
-Bruce Wilkin
“Greys (especially warm greys) feel more new than browns and camels.”
-Virginia Johnson
“I have an allergy to the idea of neutrals. White is my favourite non-colour, I suppose. I just decorated a London flat with completely white walls in every room. The flat is full of light and huge windows and the white is perfect. I didn’t choose white because it is a "neutral" or because of any design rule. I just like it and I design spaces the way I like them to look.”
–Kate Thornley-Hall
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