City Colour

Urban style needn’t mean playing safe with neutrals – we break open our decorating kit and release a burst of vibrancy.

Palatial Patterns - Striking a perfect balance between floral and graphic pattern, it’s no wonder Islamic motifs are a huge trend in interiors right now. Their bright colours and rich decoration look great on wall and floor tiles, but Fired Earth's Alhambra Palace wallpaper (shown here in the Summer colourway) makes it even easier to bring a snapshot of exotic Moorish palaces into your home. Coordinate with turquoise and navy blue accessories and vintage pieces to make the look even more authentic.

(firedearth.com)

Bright Bathing - Who said bathtubs have to be all white? Break from tradition and add a pop of colour to your bathroom. Pieces like the Epoque cast-iron tub from TC Bathrooms liven up the room instantly while keeping it contemporary. This one is available in custom colours, so feel free to be as bold as you dare.

(tc-bathrooms.com)

Summer Breeze - Notice how this light and summery living room, put together by textile brand Harlequin, is anchored by the colourful curtains. Tones such as the fuchsia, mauve and turquoise are picked out and placed around the room in the velvet cushions, glistening vases and neat upholstery, creating a lively scheme full of colour and pattern that coordinates effortlessly. A key backdrop like these curtains can lift the whole room and tie the scheme together.

Curtains: Orsina, Wallpaper: Sefa, Sofa: Akin, Cushions: Folia Velvets Magenta and Lagoon, Rug: Bella Stripe Multi, all Harlequin.

(harlequin.uk.com)

Floor Show - A good rug is like a good piece of art - it gives a focus to the whole room and it never fails to add interest. This dreamy watercolour piece (Blossom from WovenGround) immediately adds the colour spectrum of summertime gardens to this otherwise pared-down space, and could easily be changed according to season. If you want to keep your space light and airy but still add colour, another option is to make the floor a focal point by painting it an uplifting shade. Dulux has a good range to get you inspired.

(wovenground.com)
(dulux.com)

Sunny Scenes - Let the sunshine indoors by painting an extra vibrant feature wall to inject energy into a neutral scheme and define areas of the home. This minimal dining space uses pure white furniture and a pale stone floor to bounce natural light around and create the illusion of space; while the single yellow wall adds a fresh modernist twist. Little Greene's Retrospectives paint range is perfect for referencing primary colour palettes - we love their Trumpet yellow.

(littlegreene.com)

Block Beauty - This small but perfectly formed kitchen area takes a rather compact storage and utility unit and transforms it with pockets of zesty wall tiles. Set against the cool grey, charcoal and white scheme, the blocks of yellow and orange provide a crisp backdrop to the kitchen accessories and add personality to the otherwise utilitarian surroundings. Try introducing stripes of colourful tiles in the kitchen or bathroom, whether it’s a full splashback or just a line of bright tiles behind the work surface - these are from the Prismatics range at Johnson Tiles.

(johnson-tiles.com)

© 2012 Dalani Home & Living - written by Jenny Brewer
Photos courtesy of Fired Earth, TC Bathrooms, Harlequin, WovenGround, Little Greene, Material Lab