Brighten up your winter blues

When spring appears, will rich vibrant colours full of personality still be popular for your home? What about warm earthy neutrals and softer, soothing colours such as watery blues and soft greens?

People are continuing to look at their homes as a way of creating a space of comfort, peace and serenity. This spring we will see the emergence of some great colour schemes for every decorating enthusiast. However, the trend towards natural earthy tones and crisp neutrals, like soft taupes and whisper whites, will continue to take centre stage.

Gentle green and soothing oceanic blues inspired from nature, like waterlily, cascade, agave and seagrass, are now very popular overseas and are being called the new neutrals for their soothing effects. These glassy, translucent-like colours help create a restful calm and sense of tranquillity within your home. They also work great in small apartments to help create the illusion of greater space.

For those of you leaning towards more moody colours, there are a number of earthy and luxurious colour schemes still leading the trend. The Asian aesthetic continues to remain strong, with earthy charcoals and dark chocolates. However, coppery mineral tones are fast coming onto the scene, and copper-coloured oranges are now beginning to be seen as the new red.

There is also an emerging trend towards a fresher, more energetic palette of tropical colours, such as wild fuchsia and lime sorbet. These vibrant and fun colours are often great as a feature wall to energise a dated room. However, be cautious as they can be overpowering if used too much.

But remember colour is not the only option to explore. An exciting range of paint finishes and treatments is now readily available and easily applied to create a sensational impact. These luxurious and stylised effects range from suede and metallic colour options, to translucent pearl and glimmer highlights.