Crack open those crayons and colour block your home?

For the Spring 2011 runways, "Designers went positively colour mad, seemingly determined to use all the colours in the Crayola box — in one outfit," says the Star's Derrick Chetty.

With textiles embracing bold hues, walls, of course, can't be far behind. And, sure enough, Sico paints is already saying colour zoning - basically using blocks of colour to highlight walls and room features - "is the hottest trend in home decor right right now."

 
 
"It's all about using colours creatively to add interest to spaces and bring rooms to life," says Dominique Pepin, Sico's marketing manager. "People today invest more time in decorating their surroundings and are demonstrating this by using colour in unique ways to deliver personal style to their living spaces."

Pepin notes that colour zoning's a fun trend because it's inexpensive and has endless possibilities - you can paint whatever you want on the wall to add "a touch of fun, sophistication or flair."

Easy ways to try out the trend include painting a wall a different colour to divide a space, or using shapes to create the illusion of a headboard or fireplace surround, create a faux ceiling medallion around a chandelier or make frames for decorative mirrors, photographs or paintings.

To get started on a colour zoning project, Pepin offers the following tips:

More than a feeling: Decide how you want your space to feel, then examine where you can best place pops of colour, for example, you may want to make ceilings feel higher by painting a vertical stripe above a low table, or make it wider with horizontal stripes. Dress up a bare wall with a variety of shapes and colours or add a large square backdrop to highlight a painting or piece of furniture.

Give it a test run: Before you take the brush to the wall, sketch out your desired shapes. Pepin notes that circles, curved lines and overlapping shapes invoke a light, fun feeling while rectangles and sharp edges create a more serious tone. Find an arrangement that suits your eye, then measure and draw them out on your walls using painter's tape (for straight lines) or a pencil. Sico suggests using a paint brush instead of a roller to carefully fill in your shape. For the cleanest edge, limit the amount of paint on your brush.

Make it pop: Get colour inspiration from pieces that are already part of your decor - such as a favourite shade in a pillow or painting. Using shades from the same colour family provides a sophisticated, soothing look while contrasting colours packs more of a punch.

"When it comes to colour zoning, the only limit is your imagination," says Pepin. "Be adventurous - some of the most unexpected colour combinations can look terrific and make for a great conversation piece."

For more tips on colour zoning, check out Sico's Virtual Decorator or pick up their new colour zoning leaflet at a Sico retailer.

Comments

[Sundeep @ Designwali]

great post for a cold winter day!