Choosing the right colours for your home

One of the most important elements of the selection process is to consider the amount of natural light in a particular room or space. If the room lacks a lot of natural light, then the colours should be lighter to make the room appear more spacious and brighter. This is relevant for both timber and carpeted applications. Darker coloured carpet or timbers work well in larger areas that are fortunate enough to be abundant in light. They add depth and character to these spaces while not compromising the light quality. This is not to say a lovely soft palette would not work well in bigger spaces too.

Really think about what happens in each room. Do you read, watch television, study or work in this space? Is it a high traffic area? While we wish to make our spaces visually pleasing to the eye, they should be practical as well. This means your colour choices too. Colour not only adds dimension to your interior, but it can also affect your mood as well. A lovely, cosy rug in a reading nook in a warm red or brown for example is enticing, while a child-friendly rumpus room may require some darker toned carpet or rugs to accommodate all the fun they will be having in there! Carpet also holds acoustic qualities, absorbing some of the noise they will be creating.

Consider how you would like your home to feel. If you are wanting a calm and peaceful interior for your family home, your colour palette may be different from a bachelor pad-style apartment. Colours have the ability to make us feel differently, and colour psychology is worth investigating. Colours such as blues, whites and greens are tranquil and harmonious. Perhaps a blue rug in a sitting room or a place of relaxation is a good idea? Red, orange and yellow are more energizing and could be more at home in a family area or spaces where there is more movement for example. Translating this to timber types and stains, a darker timber may make space feel heavy, sophisticated and grand, while a lighter timber will create a fresh, less serious feeling space.

If you are selecting colours for a new home or completing a full renovation, you will be essentially building a palette from scratch. If you are changing just one, or a few finishes in your home, this will affect your selections. If possible, take samples of what you have to work with when you go to the flooring showroom to help you make the right decision. A photo will suffice if you are unable to obtain samples. While you may be trying to ‘freshen up’ the space, you still need to create a harmonious palette with what exists in the interior. If you have dark timber furniture, for example, you may find a lighter, natural coloured carpet will provide enough contrast to show off your lovely pieces, or you may choose to have a darker timber floor with a lighter rug to create the same effect.

Everyone wants their home to be a reflection of themselves, and the colours make up a large part of this. While colours will come in and out of trend it can be tempting to run out and refurbish your whole home to accommodate these beautiful new products. Interior designers will always advise however to be wary of colour trends on a large scale. If blue is the hot new colour, consider a beautiful new rug as opposed to recarpeting the whole space. Colour is fun and should be embraced, however always think about the longevity of the trend and the financial outlay required to replace your two-year-old carpet once you’ve had enough of it. It’s far more viable to replace a rug than a whole room of carpet!

Disclaimer: In some states of Australia, the building regulations for Vinyl Planks, Vinyl Tiles and Hybrid flooring varies. Meaning they may not be suitable for areas requiring water resistance, such as bathrooms and toilets. We advise to always ask your local Flooring Xtra store for the correct advice regarding the local regulations. We also advise to follow the manufacturer’s recommended installation instructions and guidelines, not following the instructions could make the product not fit for purpose, for the area it’s being installed into and void your product warranty. To ensure you get the appropriate product for those areas, please contact your local Flooring Xtra store.