Colours and Paint – Residential and Commercial Design Gippsland

September 7, 2017September 7, 2017

Colour Trends for 2018

Oh my goodness what a busy couple of weeks it has been as colour trends and forecasting start to emerge for 2018.

Last week Dulux announced their colour palettes for 2018.

They have announced four different colour palettes based on themes which produces quite a wide range of colours from light to dark. The themes are Kinship, Essential, Escapade and Reflect.

The overall feeling of these palettes is very earthy and the standout images for me were these because I am loving dark and moody colours at the moment…

The four colour palettes created by Dulux are pictured here…

Not all of the Dulux images were as moody as my favourite three. Their forecasts have many amazing images, another selection are here…

This morning Pantone announced their colour report for NY 2018 Fashion Week…. drum roll please.

The reason this is so important is because fashion is a leader in colour predictions. What we see on international runways is a great indicator of what we will see coming into our homes.

The colour report has created a palette of colours for Spring 2018 which is pictured here…

In addition to this palette, they also have a Spring 2018 Classic Colour Palette…

Overall, I believe our colours coming into 2018 will be earthy, brown based colours with pops of vivid bold accents. As much as I love dark and moody colours, I predict our overall trends for 2018 will have a bright future but I’ll keep you posted.

If you’re interested in colour or have any colour questions please contact me, I’d be happy to help.

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017

Make Me Blush – Paint Colour Inspiration

Clients often say to me that they don’t know where to start when choosing paint colours, furniture, fabrics etc.

I always start with an inspirational image or theme and create a palette and all of my choices from there.

This week I am exploring inspiration from this photo of a flower.

Inspiration

Taking inspiration from this gorgeous flower, I have chosen three different Dulux paint colours.

Dulux Nantucket Mist – I love this gorgeous grey blush combination. It would be ideal for a bedroom, study or retreat area.
Dulux Sago – a neutral pink and beige inspired paint colour that could be used anywhere in the home.
Dulux Moss Rose – wow, what a stunning hit of colour. Just like in the photo, I would use it sparingly as an accent wall or in a study or nursery room.

If you like these colours and would like to see paint samples, I can mail you free A4 chips so that you can take a closer look.

I have matched this inspiration and colour choices with a stunning blush pink velvet sofa.

Week 1

If you have any questions about choosing paint colours or any of the items pictured here, please call or email me.

I am the official Dulux colour consultant for Gippsland and can help you with all of your paint and home choices.

Residential paint colour consultations are $150 and you receive A4 colour samples as well as a Dulux paint cash back voucher.

For more information, call me today on 0413 794 365.

** Sold On Interiors takes no responsibility for the colours featured in this post as they are a guide only to show how colours can be chosen from inspirational images.

January 9, 2017January 9, 2017

How To Use Interior Design to Attract Home Buyers in 2017

I always keep up to date on the local, state and national real estate markets and news.

It is so important because our homes continue to be assets and investments more than ever before.

The article that caught my attention this week is from a leading NSW real estate agent called D’Leanne Lewis and can be read here.

Much of what she says is more relevant (as many articles often are) to Melbourne, Sydney and metro markets than in Gippsland but what stood out to me were these predictions about what buyers will be looking for in 2017.

She mentions a “village lifestyle” in a good location, close to shops and schools etc. Then she goes on to talk about “homes with well-spaced layouts.”

“Open-plan homes with plenty of kitchen and living room space, separated areas for entertaining and bright airy outlooks are also marked to fetch premium prices,” Ms Lewis said.

She added that home buyers no longer want to move at major stages of their lives, such as children moving out of the family home or when they retire.

Ms Lewis said buyers have grown wary of the market. They are aware that once they purchase a home, they are likely to be priced out of others they may want down the track, so they’re buying for keeps.

“We’re going to see a real shift towards homes being purchased for longevity. Home buyers are willing to pay that little bit extra for a home they’ll be happy in for the long run. People aren’t looking for a home to flip in a few years. They want a home to grow old in and they’re making sure it has everything they need.”

This is a very different sense of the real estate market than we have seen for some time. Much of the last ten years has focused on renovation for profit.

If Ms Lewis is correct in her prediction, my design recommendations to meet the needs of these buyers would be:

If you have more than one living area, furnish them both to serve that purpose. Don’t be afraid to have two living areas, if that’s what your home is designed for. Many home owners can be afraid or unsure of how to furnish additional living areas especially if they are more than their current needs. It may seem silly to have two lounge rooms if you don’t need them but that’s how you should present them for sale.
If you have outdoor living spaces, showcase them with furniture and set the scene for how these areas can be used. Therefore do not leave them empty, cluttered with old pot plants or dead herbs or as a storage space. People move to Gippsland for our lifestyle, show them how your home will meet that desire.
A fresh coat of paint does wonders to a home. Choose a neutral, inviting and pleasing colour and paint it throughout. Grey is popular at the moment, you can try Dulux Terrace White, Dulux McGinley or Dulux Mt Aspiring. Warmer options could be Dulux Modern White, Dulux China Mask or Dulux White Dune.
If your budget allows, updating your kitchen bench top can do wonders. This is a more costly investment and I would seek the advice of a real estate agent or designer first if you’re not sure.
If you have one large open living area, use rugs and furniture to define individual spaces for dining, lounging and entertaining. A large open area that is not furnished well can detract from the appeal of these open areas.
Invest in professional photography and a floor plan of your home. How your home looks on the internet is essential to attract buyers in the modern market and the inclusion of a floor plan can increase online views by up to 80%.

Sold On Interiors offers Gippsland home owners advice for preparing your home for sale in many different ways.

Consultant report $195 – a full report with recommendations on what you should do and invest in to prepare your home for sale. This can include paint colour specification if needed as well ($150 value).
Paint colour consultation $150 – take the guess work out of choosing your paint colour. Colour consultations are approx 1-2 hours and you are provided with a full paint colour specification, a Dulux cash back offer up to the value of $100 and A4 colour samples.
Home staging – $800+ – depending on your needs, I can work with your current furniture or hire furniture and accessories as needed for the sale period, usually 1-3 months. This is ideal if your current furniture doesn’t look quite right or if your home is vacant.

Remember that nothing replaces good local knowledge. Take time to see what homes have sold (and not sold) recently in your area, you can do this by looking on www.realestate.com.au, taking a drive around your local streets and talking to real estate agents.

I’m always looking for more blog topic ideas. If you could pick my design brain, what would you like to know about preparing your home for sale, choosing paint colours or renovating your property? Let me know below, I’d love to hear from you.

January 4, 2017January 4, 2017

A Hot Home Prediction For 2017 That Will Work Well In Many Gippsland Homes

According to a Facebook post from Belle magazine, the next big interior design trend is wall mouldings.

I love wall mouldings done well. They add instant charm and character but only in the right property. Lucky for us, there are a lot of homes in Gippsland ideally suited to wall and ceiling mouldings.

I attended a Gippsland home auction last year and spent most of the time looking at the ceiling mouldings. Still in their original state, they combined my love of coloured ceilings, wallpaper and mouldings! I could have bought the home based on this alone…

This ceiling had me at hello — Stunning Gippsland home with moulded ceilings.

Wall mouldings essentially serve the purpose of covering joins e.g. baseboards cover the join between the wall and the floor, cornice/crown moulding covers the join between the wall and the ceiling and door and window casings conceal the gap between the jamb and adjacent wall.

Other wall mouldings serve a different but practical purpose of wall protection (chair rail) and the hanging of artwork (picture moulding).

Then there are mouldings which are purely decorative and often add a sense of formality to a room.

This week I have included my top tips for how to choose wall mouldings and secondly how to paint them.

Tips for choosing wall mouldings:

know the period of your home and do some research into what materials, profiles and sizes would have been used at that time,
keep all of your trim in the same architectural style, and
bigger is not always better. Keep the size of your mouldings in proportion with the size of your room, walls and the height of your ceilings.

I love the power of paint and colour and this is especially evident in architectural features like mouldings.

Top tips for choosing paint colours for wall mouldings:

You can emphasise your moulding details by painting them in a high contrast colour to the walls…

How to paint wall mouldings — Choose contrasting paint colours for big impact.

2. you can showcase your mouldings by choosing colours with subtle differences…

How to choose paint colours for wall mouldings — Emphasise your mouldings in a more discreet way.

3. your mouldings can set the scene for your room and add interest when painted in the same colour as the walls.

If your home is from a bygone era and lends itself to mouldings, don’t be afraid to embrace this trend… with restraint.

If you need help doing so, call me, I’d be happy to help you. Residential colour consultations are $150 and I can arm you with everything you need to do it well including A4 colour samples.

Belle magazine article and moulding images are found here.

December 11, 2016December 12, 2016

Is Pantone Greenery Gippsland’s colour of the year?

Earlier this week, Pantone released their Colour Of The Year for 2017 – a striking yellow green colour called Greenery.

I agree, I like it because it is much fresher than the olive greens we have seen a lot of in 2016.

For the first time ever, Pantone chose two colours for 2016 and both were muted tones in response to the hectic and turbulent world we find ourselves in today.

This colour feels much more optimistic.

Pantone said “Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate. Greenery is nature’s neutral.”

Pantone Greenery — Pantone Colour of the Year 2017.

To use this kind of colour in paint, I would recommend a Dulux colour called Savoy (S21G7). A solid green, similar to Greenery that would look striking as an accent colour with a white or grey room.

It is an ideal accent colour especially as we head into Summer and Autumn.

Is it a colour that we could use in Gippsland? Absolutely. We live in one of the most beautiful areas of the country surrounded by natural beauty, an inland lake system, gorgeous national parks and the gateway to the high country and alps.

Bring the outdoors in with Dulux Savoy in accent walls, painted furniture, accessories or rugs and embrace 2017 and its optimistic outlook. I know I will. Thanks Pantone.

To read more about Pantone’s Colour of the Year, click here.

November 23, 2016November 24, 2016

Central Hotel, Lakes Entrance design

I had the joy of working recently with Alison and Tyson, owners of the Central Hotel in Lakes Entrance.

Alison and Tyson were planning a fresh coat of paint for the coming Summer season and asked for my help.

We have begun with their function area.

The original room was painted in a light white with an orange/terracotta feature colour in the bar.

Working with the colours in the carpet and inspired by some of Alison’s beautiful cushion covers, I chose Dulux Franz Josef Double, Dulux White Duck and Porters Paints Quill wallpaper in Taupe as well as feature lighting.

I wanted a scheme that was neither masculine or feminine. The room is used for weddings, 21st birthdays as well as corporate functions.

The room needs to have a welcoming, classic atmosphere that is also a backdrop to decorations, signage and banners.

We are still working on other areas on the Hotel so stay tuned, but I am thrilled with the results so far.

Central Lakes Hotel — The newly renovated bar area.

Central Hotel — The newly renovated bar and function area.

October 4, 2016November 24, 2016

Is This The World’s Ugliest Colour?

I came across an email earlier this week from Houzz which talked about decorating with “The Worlds Ugliest Colour.” Of course, it captured my attention instantly.

The search has been on to identify the ugliest colour for use on Australian cigarette packets to discourage smoking.

The result: Pantone 448 C – an interesting mix of brown and olive green.

The World's Ugliest Colour? — Is this “The World’s Ugliest Colour”?

I LOVED this topic and article because I am fascinated by colour associations and colour psychology.

I believe that this colour would work well on cigarette packages, not because it’s ugly (as well proven in the Houzz article), but because to me it looks like cigarette tar from the old Quit ads. Yuck!

Colour association is so incredibly powerful and I see (and hear) it all the time from clients in comments like “that reminds me of…”.

When I come across attraction or resistance to a colour from a client that is based solely on emotion, I never question or try to fight it but I am always fascinated by it.

It is irrelevant if I think the association is correct or not, the important thing is that the association is there and if it’s negative, it will often be very strong. When people don’t like a colour, they REALLY don’t like that colour.

That’s why so many home owners paint their homes a neutral colour when they want to sell it. They assume these are the least offensive colours and they are correct.

The problem then is how to make a neutral home stand out from all of the other neutral homes also for sale.

Very few people are likely to paint their home in the Pantone 448 C colour equivelant.

The Houzz article showed this colour used successfully in a number of homes. The secret to their success was the styling and furniture done by an interior designer.

The hardest homes to sell are vacant ones, those without styling and furniture no matter what colour they are painted.

I don’t believe there are pretty or ugly colours. There are certainly popular and trendy ones but the success of any colour scheme is how it is put together.

What associations do you have with colour and do you think Pantone 448 C is the world’s ugliest colour? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Click here to read the Houzz article.

September 26, 2016November 24, 2016

How To Choose Front Door Paint Colours

Yesterday I had the joy of seeing the result of a colour consultation I did recently.

My client was looking for an exterior feature paint colour for her outside dining area and front door.

Painting front doors a feature colour has become popular recently because it adds interest and modernises what is often an overlooked part of your home.

So how do you choose a front door colour?

You need to consider the aspect of the door – does it face north, south, east or west and is it in direct sunlight or under a verandah or porch area?

The reason this is so important is because some colours reflect light and some absorb it.

Exterior paint colours that absorb light also absorb heat. If you paint these colours onto a wooden door, the wood is likely to split and become damaged by the heat. This problem has become so common that some door manufacturers void warranties for doors painted in certain colours.

These colours tend to be darker colours but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them.

Also, exterior paint colours can look up to 30% lighter when in direct sunlight.

My client is an outgoing, kind, fun, joyful person with a very welcoming home. So once I had thought about light and heat we talked about colours that she liked and disliked.

Taking all of this into consideration I chose a blue for her called Dulux Boathouse and this is the result….

Dulux Boathouse is a fantastic backdrop for my client’s Art Deco inspired screen door and has added a new “wow” to the entry of her home.

Adding interest to the front of your home increases its street appeal which is important if you’re thinking of selling and can make entering our home more pleasurable.

My client posted her new painted door on Facebook and has received many positive comments…

If you would like to do a similar paint project at your home but still don’t know how to choose the right colour, search online (Pinterest, Houzz, Google Images etc) for inspiration or call your local Dulux colour consultant for help. Consultations cost $150 and you receive a cash back voucher for $1 per litre of Dulux paint you purchase up to 100 litres.

I am teaching a one day Advanced Colour course in Melbourne on November 4 for Real Living magazine. If you want to learn how to choose your own colours with confidence, click here for more information.

September 19, 2016November 24, 2016

Black Ceilings, Wallpaper & Porters Paints, What A Great Week!

This week I have been extremely busy with an exciting commercial project.

Commercial colour specification is something I am really loving at the moment because it allows for so much more scope than many residential homes.

In my current job I was asked for black ceilings and wallpaper… I said “absolutely!” What a fabulous request!

As soon as I heard black, I thought of Dulux Domino and as soon as I heard wallpaper, I thought of Porters Paints.

If you have not heard of Porters Paints, let me open your world to a very special and boutique paint company that create incredible paint products and wallpapers.

Porters make water based, low VOC (toxic), durable, easy to apply and hand-made paints. My favourite is their Eggshell Acrylic and I use it in my own home.

Visiting a Porters Paints store is also an experience of delving into a whole new world of colour, paint and wallpaper.

When sourcing (with much delight and joy) the wallpaper for this project I visited their Fitzroy store. A colour consultant at a Porters Paints store is just like a kid in a candy store.

My choice for this building was their Nairobi Dusk design, pictured here in White Quartz, Twilight and Granite. You’ll have to stay tuned to see which colour my client chose, but I can’t wait to see and show you the results.

Porters Paints, Nairobi Dusk design — White Quartz, Twilight and Granite

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next painting project I highly recommend taking a look at Porters Paints.

They have stores in Melbourne and Sydney and you can order online to have your paint delivered, which is what I do.

Porters Paint

September 6, 2016November 24, 2016

Tips And Choices For Choosing Grey Paint Colours

Grey is certainly the neutral colour of choice at the moment. Its popularity has grown immensely in the last year and with good reason.

It is classic and sophisticated but just like the other neutrals – beige and whites, it is a paint colour people struggle with choosing correctly.

When you look at the page of grey options in the Dulux colour atlas it is easy to see so many exciting combinations of grey with different coloured undertones.

Like other neutrals that means there are cool and warm options.

Below are my choices of favourite Dulux greys:

STANDARD GREY:

Grey Pail (light)

Water Worn (mid grey)

Ticking and Domino (dark greys)

NB: Dulux Ticking is stunning but does have a blue feel.

COOL GREYS:

Manorburn (light) – also available in double, half and quarter strength.

Celtic Sky is a personal preference because I also love duck egg blue (mid darkness)

Maraetia (darker)

WARM GREYS:

Ghosting (light) – also available in half and quarter strength. Can appear red in some rooms.

Rampart (mid grey)

Bushland Grey (darker)

Because grey is essentially a combination of black and white it is the perfect backdrop for colour, metallics and accents when decorating.

Grey needs that pop and lift and when you do that you will be fifty shades of happy with the result.