Magic Of Colour (part 5)

WALLS


The walls of any room (with or without the ceiling) represent its largest single surface. They provide the background for all the other furnishing elements that are to be included, and wherever you choose to look, they are smack in your line of vision. Whatever kind of treatment you decide to use here, therefore, will dominate your finished scheme.

Because there are fewer practical than virtually any other surface (you don't walk on them or spill drinks on them), your range of appropriate decorative options is uniquely wide and varied. Select from the following types of wall finish:

Paint


The easiest, and usually the cheapest and quickest, transformation you can effect in any room is to paint it a different colour. But before you are seduced by any of the enormous number of shades on offer, however, you should familiarize yourself with the main types of paint on the market and decide which ones you want to use where.

However complex and technical any survey of paint types may at first appear; the basic differences between them are straightforward: in composition , every paint is either water or solvent-based (sometimes known as oil-based). If you're unsure of a particular tin, check the product information on the side. Broadly, these paints have certain characteristics:

1) Water-based paints (emulsions, acrylic gloss and some primers):

• dry more quickly
• smell less strong
• hold colour better
• can be washed off (and thinned out) with water
• contain fewer toxic chemicals so are less harmful to the environment
• are ideal for matt finishes

But they also:

• wear less well
• mark more easily
• offer less flexibility for beginners when it comes to trying out decorative effects since they dry almost instantly.

2) Solvent-based paints (most gloss, eggshell and enamel finishes, plus undercoats and primers):

• are extremely hard-wearing
• can create a shiny finish
• withstand higher levels of damp and moisture (in bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms, for example)

But they also:

• dry very slowly
• have a strong chemical smell
• hold colour less effectively (whites tend to yellow)
• must be thinned out and removed with solvent such as white spirit.

Within these categories, the main differences between one kind of paint and another tend to involve either the effect they give when dry, their porosity (and therefore their resistance to water), or the durability of finish.

Vinyl matt emulsion
This is the conventional choice for walls and ceilings. Water-based, it is easy to apply, it covers well and the non-reflective finish helps to hide minor surface flaws. However, it also tends to mark fairly easily.

Vinyl silk emulsion
Also water-based, this paint has a slight sheen which makes it slightly more durable than vinyl matt and it is also easier to wipe clean. However, it is more likely to higlight surface lumps and bumps.

Solid Emulsion
Available in either vinyl silk or vinyl matt, this is a non-drip that is packaged in its own tray. Easy to use, it comes in a limited colour range.

Kitchen / bathroom emulsion
This paint contains fungicide to make it resistant to damp and condensation. It has a soft sheen finish.

One-coat emulsion
Although it is more expensive than standard emulsion,this paint offers better coverage. It dries to give a similar sheen to kitchen/ bathroom emulsion. If you are planning to apply a very light colour over a dark one, though , you may still need two coats.

Eggshell
An oil-based paint that offers a similar, but much more durable finish than that of vinyl silk, this is an ideal choice for woodwork. Some eggshell finishes are suitable for use on both walls and woodwork: use one of these when you want the two elements to match perfectly.

Satin finish
Similar to eggshell, this paint is easier t use and faster-drying.

Gloss
Usually oil-based, this is the most durable finish of all, but many people find its high shine too hard, unsubtle and ouforgiving of even the smallest imperfections. Liquid gloss gives the smoothest finish, but the non-drip version is much easier to use.

Primer
This paint is used to seal bare, porous surfaces, such as plaster,wood or metal and it comes in either water or solvent-based versions

Magic of Colour (part 4)

THE REALM OF THE SENSES.


Creating a home involves much more than simply putting together a collection of stylish decorating schemes; it also means surrounding yourself with materials, fragrances and sounds taht soothe your senses and refresh spirits. Once you've decided on the dominant atmosphere you want for your environment, explore all the subtle, sensula touches you can add to reinforce it.

Texture

Making the best possible use of the texture in your rooms does not necessarily mean installing bare brick walls, fake fur rugs or satin sheets. Used skilfully, texture can add interest, depth and sensuality in a vast range of understated, yet very powerful ways. To strengthen a scheme based on natural materials and hues, look for wooden furniture that has been waxed and polished to a deep, satin-like patina, wool fabrics and carpets with a thick, knobbly weave and crisp, waffle-weave cotton, coarse linen and raw silk. Make shelves form chunky, weathered railway sleepres or other reclaimed wood and display pieces of sculptural driftwood and unusual stones together in groups.

For a cosier feeling, choose pile-weave fabrics like cotton velvet and chenille for your chairs and sofa, and drape them with cuddly blankets and throws. Cut up old sweaters to make tactile cushions (or turn them out yourself with jumbo needles or crochet hooks and buttery, soft wool) and place a furry rug beside your bed to tickle your toes. Add a touch of sensuality to formal rooms with finely figured silk and brocade trimmed with fringes and tassels that beg to be fondled, ornaments of burnished brass and polished silver, and mirror-finish mahogany or rosewood surfaces.

Magic of Colour (part 3)

Using Pattern


Like colour, pattern tends to intimidate those who are not used to working with it. For creating interest, depth and sheer visual richness, however, there are few design tools more potent. If you are equally tempted and dismayed by the possibilities on offer, there are two main tactics you can employ t reduce the risk of failure: either choose all your patterns from a range of coordinated fabrics, wallpapers and accessories, or begin in a low-key way with one or two small areas of pattern, then add more as your confidence and style sense develop. The first option is certainly the safest one, but the result often has a sterile, showroom feel and inevitably lacks the originality and sparkle of a scheme that you have sourced and put together yourself.

Guidelines for Success

Also in common with colour, patterns can grouped according to type: formal and elegant, cheerful and cosy, bold and graphic, opulent and exotic, or simple and fresh. To put together a successful mix, choose several examples with a similar feeling classic gingham checks and artless country florals, for example, rich paisley weaves and oriental rugs, African motifs and modern geometric shapes, or period stripes and traditional chintzes.

When you're using fabric and wallpaper samples to experiment with different combinations, you'll get a much more accurate idea of how they'll look if you approximate the comparative size of each one to its intended purpose in the finished room. If, for example, you are looking at a collection of patterns-some for the wallpaper, some for the sofa and some for throw cushions - arranging sizable lengths of paper with medium-sized squares of sofa fabric and small swatches of cushion material will give you a much clearer idea of the final effect than playing with same-size cuttings of all the design under consideration.