How to transform your home by colour blocking

You have seen this trend on the runways and in the magazines – bold blocks of color. This fashion trend - color blocking - has recently jumped off the runway and into home decor. To color block, all you need to do is take bold opposites on the color wheel (think red and green, or blue and orange) and put them together for the widest contrast possible. No patterns allowed in this trend – Just bold, bright colors mixed in a way that somehow seems to make sense. Jacinta Odongo compiles ways to achieve a bright and playful look in your home

Colour blocking is a fun and sure way to refresh your home and bring more energy and color to it. Just like picking colors to match your wardrobe, one can easily pick different colours that blend together to make the interior décor of the home look unique and attractive.
It is a trend that is not just about clothes anymore. This edgy trend is an easy way to modernise any space whether indoors or out because it allows one to experiment with different shades without being overwhelmed.

When choosing colour blocks for your home, Ronald Obedi a carpenter and furniture owner of Neighborhood furniture stall in Nsambya says it is important to look at the interior as a whole. “This is the art of combining solid colours together in a random or orderly pattern to create an interesting unique colour combination in the home.

The thing about colour blocking is that you can use as many colours as you like and combine them on a wall in your room or use it in accessories, for instance, by piling bright pillows of various colours together or putting a sofa with different colour themes. All this makes your interior design even more interesting and complex,” Obedi says.
These colours can be bold and modern or subtle depending on one’s taste and preference. But it is also good to remember that too much colour, on the other hand, can be busy and distracting.

Considerations
Just like matching your wardrobe, there are certain things one has to consider when it comes to colour blocking a home. “One of the tricks is to keep colours solid, sticking to no more than three shades per area or outfit. The colours you choose for painting the walls of your home should be bold, bright and pleasant to the eye. Basically match the unmatchable by going for good colour mixes. The whole combination should be easy on the eye but attract attention,” he adds.

Do not go overboard with bold colours, but if you do, be sure to balance the look with neutral colours. “When decorating your home always try to limit your use of colours to no more than three. Keep it simple and don’t try to incorporate too many busy elements into your colour block setting. If you want to introduce patterns, throw in one pattern,” adds Yvonne Kyomugisha an interior designer.
Part of the fun of this trend is arranging the blocks in whatever way strikes your fancy thus it is easier to spread colour blocking not only on the walls but also to things like furniture, accessories, wall hangings and curtains.

Matching pillows and furniture like chairs
Take the good combination of colors and scatter them across the room using colored pillows, chairs and other furniture. “Throw pillows and textured cushions are an affordable way to add interest to a space and can instantly update a boring room. Just add a combination of exciting shades of pillows to your sofa and you will witness the results immediately. Besides, you can use painted framed to create color blocking on your walls against some neutral background. Art is a great way to incorporate colour blocking if you do not want to use paint,” Kyomugisha explains.

If you enjoy a bright, bold color scheme in your home, you may want to consider decorating a chair in a colour blocking pattern. “Choose one colour for the back, a different color for the seat, a third colour for the arms and sides. Actually this idea was borrowed from the Chinese. You know Chinese like counterfeit goods but they ensure they have a beautiful unique look to attract the buyer,” Obedi adds.

Rugs and carpets
If you want to add colour to your bare floors consider a colour blocked rug or carpet. You can decide which colours to use and how they will match with your whole interior setting. For an adventure look in the house go for green carpets or brown to pull that natural green look matching them with a black sofa and throw pillow with different shades like blue, yellow, orange and red. You can also add spice with a yellow art piece on your wall,” she explains.

Bedding
It can be difficult to find bedding that satisfies couples, but color blocking makes it possible to introduce some colour and pattern into the bedroom without being too girlie for him or too masculine for her.

Accessories
A neutral space can be livened up with colour blocking details. Picture frames, vases, book covers and small trays can be found in color blocked patterns and are a simple and inexpensive way to add a pop of color and graphic pattern to your rooms.

Artwork
“To achieve the colour blocked effect with your artwork, you can frame abstract art or you can choose solid colour mats placed in identical frames and hung on the same wall. This works really well if you are looking to frame your children’s artwork, a collection of small prints,” she says.

Outdoor
One has to consider the type of vegetation so as to pull a cool outdoor colour blocking technique. “In other words, the green of the grass is already one of the colours in your palette hence start simple. Outdoor colour-blocking will only work well in a structured garden with a one-colour palette,” adds Kyomugisha.
Besides, when choosing furniture and accessories for the outside look, go for soft, contemporary lines and organic types that will make your outdoor feel dated.

Add colour using lights
And finally, the latest trend for adding colour to a room is to use LED lighting strips. “LED lighting is becoming more popular for accent lighting as people realize that LED lighting uses far less electricity and last longer than either fluorescent or halogen lighting,” says Kyomugisha.