Bristol Magazine
the resurgence of colourful interiors
At K Interiors, we eagerly awaited the 2023 Decorex interior design exhibition, which took
place in London in September 2023.
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Decorex 2023
At K Interiors, we eagerly awaited the 2023 Decorex interior design exhibition, which took
place in London in September 2023.
After several years of neutral interior trends, reflecting the mood of
the country as we navigated our way through the pandemic and resultant economic crisis, we
were keen to establish whether the design fraternity would concur with our instinct that the
interiors world is finally preparing to emerge like a butterfly from the cocoon, shake
off the greys and beige and launch into a beautiful colour renaissance.
The show certainly did not disappoint in this respect. Our hearts were truly uplifted by the
array of colour, texture and pattern on display all around us, making it abundantly clear that
we are on the cusp of seeing a much-needed injection of optimism and personal joy into our residential interior design schemes.
Informative, Colour-Focused Talks
Even the guest speakers were evidence of this new trend for colour, with one panel including
the Queen of colourful interiors, Sophie Robinson, her co-host on the Great Indoors podcast,
Kate Watson-Smythe, and the doyenne of upcycling and chalk furniture paint, Annie Sloane.
Their talk focussed on how to embrace colour in your home interiors, and they each started
by sharing their first memories of colour. Interestingly, and somewhat surprisingly, Sophie’s
first memory was of something white!
Colourful Sets
Surrounding the exhibitors were bright and colourful sets provided by ‘Yes Colours’, a brand
associated with water-based, eco-friendly paints in a range of deeply pigmented colours, a
fabulous wall mounted felt colour wheel and a rainbow tunnel (both great for Instagram), and
colour trails designed by behavioural design consultant, Karen Haller.
New Paint Colour Launches and Colourful Homewares
New paint colours being launched by companies such as Little Greene and
Coat included deep earthy tones, such as terracotta, claret and burgundy. There were
colourful salt and pepper grinders and other home accessories from Addison Ross, delicately
toned and elegant chandeliers at Rothschild & Bickers, gorgeous bright lampshades and
muted pink contemporary glass pendant lights at Pooky Lighting, bold, quirky painted
ceramics from Kinkatou Studio, a new contemporary technicolour range of faux books from
Original Book Works. Even the cisterns displayed by Thomas Crapper had been given a
modern edge and were displayed in the brightest of hues. Literally everywhere we looked,
there was colour!
The Importance of Colour Psychology and Colour Consultancy in Interior Design
Karen Haller’s colour philosophy very much fits with the K Interiors brand ethos and design
process, as we believe that living in an environment where you are surrounded by
the colours and designs you love can improve well-being and make you feel more positive.
Our design process always begins with a colour consultancy
session, the purpose of which is for us to understand how our client responds to a range of
colour palettes, patterns and textures. Also central to the initial briefing is to establish how the
client wants to feel when they are in the room. This may appear to be an odd question but, to
make the design work, we need to know whether the client wants to feel energised, uplifted, relaxed,
comforted, calm or focussed when they are in the room, as this will influence the choice of colour palette.
Traditional colour psychology suggests that certain colours are good for different
environments and evoke a particular mood or feeling. For example, cool colours such as
blues and greens are thought to be calming and to aid concentration. Green is also considered
to be fresh and optimistic – the colour of spring and of nature. Reds, pinks, oranges and
yellows are energising, uplifting and stimulating, whilst warmer and deeper toned colours –
burgundy, browns and deep blues, for example, create a cosy, comfortable feel.
Not only the colour, but also the tone of the colour palette will affect a person’s response to
any room design scheme. Deeper, bolder tones can inspire confidence, while lighter hues are
often linked to tranquility and serenity.
In our experience, although the above is a general rule of thumb, each
individual client will react to colours and tones differently, and we find that, in general,
people are drawn to a particular seasonal palette, or a mix of two.
The Four Seasonal Palettes
There are four seasonal colour palettes for interiors. Spring colours tend to be fresh, playful,
bright, uplifting and clean. Think warm and bright shades such as sunshine yellow, fresh
greens, satsuma orange, fuchsia and other pinks and reds, duck egg blue, plus pastel colours
mirroring the lovely soft shades of spring tulips as they poke their heads through the soil for
the first time.
The summer palette is more muted than the spring palette, and includes cooler shades – soft
neutrals, such as lilac, dusky pinks, sage green, soft teal blues and pale yellows. It is
described as cool, tranquil, classic, traditional, and sometimes feminine.
Autumn personalities are drawn to the earthy, natural, rich and often fiery colours of that
season. These colours create a cosy atmosphere and allow us to feel warmth and
comfort. This palette includes deep yellow and oranges, browns, claret reds, terracotta and
deeper greens.
The winter palette tends to be more minimalist than the other three seasons. This palette is somewhat
bold and dramatic, with striking contrasts. Primary colours, along with cold tones, such as icy
blues and greys feature here, with elements of deep blues, red and black.
Once we have identified what season or seasons our client’s personality falls into, we are able to create an
interior design scheme that supports their preferences, with the intention of the home around them
reflecting their inner personality and bringing them joy for many years to come.
Sustainability
Designing for longevity also means our designs are more sustainable and do not need to be
altered to reflect the latest fads and trends of the design world. Our philosophy is that, although in time the client might
wish to make superficial changes to refresh the look of a room by changing up smaller items,
such as soft furnishings, possibly artwork or a floor covering, all the original key elements will stand the test of time.
As for Decorex, both attendees and exhibitors genuinely seemed more upbeat than in
previous years, with lots of laughter and smiling faces everywhere we looked. Given that our
world revolves around colour, we can’t help but put down to the riot of colour on display.
Mark our words, dopamine décor is coming back!
K Interiors
If you would like to introduce more colour into your home, but are unsure where or how to
start, K Interiors offers ‘Inspire Sessions’, where we will come to your home for either two or
three hours and give you tips and advice, not only in relation to the aesthetics, but also the
practical details of how to achieve the design scheme you truly desire.
We also offer a full interior design service, with bronze, silver and gold packages starting at
£1,350 per room. Whether you are looking to re-design or refresh one room, your whole
home, or something in between, we are able to help.
