Primary Pops

Introducing colour at home doesn’t necessarily mean painting walls and surfaces. A white-on-white scheme is the perfect backdrop for pops of primary colour – seen here in the Eltham home of John Henry and Deb Ganderton, whose colourful Verner Panton chairs and a kaleidoscopic collection of artwork transform this bright, white space.

P.S. I once promised myself I would never used the expression ‘pops of colour’…!  Consider this the first and last time.

Surface Switch

Colour can be introduced on any surface – why not try the floor!?

A bright, eye-catching flooring choice can be the perfect treatment in mid century homes, such as Matt and Carly Skinner’s incredible home in Beaumaris, which features Supertuft’s Escape Velour carpet in ‘Abby’.  Carpet is making a comeback! 

Incremental Updates

Contrary to what reality TV would have you believe,  a great interior shouldn’t be completed in a week – banish ‘The Block’ mentality! For an eclectic and authentic feel, beautiful rooms need to be layered and added to over time. This incremental approach frees you up to save for items you REALLY love (buy well, buy once!), and gives you time to develop confidence in your decorating choices.

Even a room with white walls can be given an extraordinary lift when layered with colourful objects and soft furnishings. Fill your bookshelves with colourful books and objects you love, and introduce a bold floor rug or soft furnishings in an accent colour.

Wall Treatment

YES, painting a room requires a little effort, but it’s also one of the cheapest and easiest ways to give your interiors a major update, without the need for professional help.

If you lack confidence with bright colours, try a mid or charcoal grey – still ‘neutral’, but with a little added oomph!

We also love shades of deep blue and teal in bedrooms and bathrooms, as seen in the homes of interior designers Amanda Henderson Marks and Lauren Li. After all, as Lauren says, ‘Why not splash around some colour, it feels good and makes me happy!’

Prints and Patterns

If there’s one thing more anxiety-inducing that choosing a bold paint treatment, it’s installing wallpaper. Terrifying stuff. Understandably, since wallpaper can be a significant investment, and requires an expert to install. (DON’T even think about doing it DIY!)

The right wallpaper, though, can completely transform a room. We loveAnnie Price and Jamie Paterson’s mid century home in Beaumaris, and The Sydney residence of Karen and Bruce Julian, which both feature an incredible array of vintage wallpapers.

Try Flashback Fabric for a brilliant range of retro-inspired options.

Bold Bedrooms

The bedroom is the most personal of spaces, rarely seen by anyone other than close family. So, if you can’t go BOLD with your decorating choices here, where can you!?

Moody greys and blues are always a popular choice for sleeping quarters, but it’s also worth experimenting with brighter hues!

We love the feminine palette in the home of interior decorator Chrissie Jeffery, and the unexpected orange in Kate and Mal Heppell’s sunny master bedroom!

Start with a Door

My number-one tip for introducing colour at home, particularly if you don’t have the time/money/confidence to tackle a big paint job, is to start with one internal door – so easy!

Just twi litres of paint and an afternoon is all you need!

Colourful Collections

A love of colour usually starts with ‘stuff’. The stuff that catches your eye: bedlinen, cushions, tableware and trinkets… things you buy without much thought for where they will go or how they will be displayed. But, as a collection grows, you often start to see common themes emerge.

Display much loved objects en masse, grouped by material or colour. We’re in awe of the coloured glass collection in the North Caufield home of Madeleine Grummet.