Interior Design expert and Taubmans brand ambassador Shaynna Blaze suggests using new Taubmans Sample Pots to explore their key colours and looks for 2017 before committing to whole walls or rooms
“Colours will change with different lighting and reflection and so each colour looks different in every house. Testing your paint colour with sample pots allows you to see the colour at different times of the day and see how it looks in your surroundings. This way you can test a couple of colours at one time to work out your best palette.
Paint can be a bit of a chameleon, and even the most seasoned designer or decorator (including myself) cannot be 100% sure of the performance of a colour. Don’t get me wrong – a colour won’t change dramatically from a blue to a red, but the subtleties of a colour change in a room. For example, a blue might take on a greener tone depending on its surroundings, or what you thought was a very bright white might have a slight yellow to it in your house due to the timbers in the room or the direction it is facing.” says Blaze.
In terms of some practical tips, Shaynna suggests:
• Trying only two colours at once – any more can get confusing. By process of elimination you can easily define the right colour for you.
• Using an A4 piece of cardboard gives you the flexibility to move the colour around all four walls of each room (as every walls get different light and reflections). Not rushing to paint straight on your walls means you don’t end up with a rainbow while you are still working out the perfect colour.
• View your colours in both morning and afternoon daylight, plus with lights on at night, ‘sitting’ with them for around three days – any more and you risk over-analysing. Colour should give you an instant feeling, so taking longer possibly means you are procrastinating on the work, rather than the colour choice!
To help get you sampling away, Shaynna picks a colour from each of Taubmans 2017 lookbooks and suggests how to best to use it:
Coastal Curator
Shaynna: “Welcome to pure bliss inspired by the Hamptons and Scandi – you like it simple and fresh, but with a twist of urban cool. You know how to use white to open up a space, but still maintain that cosy and homely feel.”
Sample Taubmans SNOW DROP to achieve a freshness to an interior.
New Neutralist
Shaynna: “There is nothing ‘beige’ about you – in fact, you are a colour vanguard. You know how to combine the tried and trusted with the unexpected to create a look that turns the conventional idea of a neutral colour palette upside down, inside out and wrong way round…”
Try a little Taubmans WINTER MIST in your lounge room or bedroom for a soft glow to your walls.
Nature Warrior
Shaynna: “You are probably a practical, down-to-earth person who knows how to harness the goodness of nature… In your home, you strive for balance and harmony and this you achieve (chances are if you are a green lover, you are a super high-achiever across most areas of your life…)”
Taubmans HIGHLAND MEADOW is a colour to cocoon you in your home – so perfect when you have a garden view.
Pastel Pioneer
Shaynna: “All of the sweet with none of the calories. These sugary combinations will inspire you to extract all of the fun and leave most of the twee. Taubmans has the perfect pastel palettes for every room in your home – not just the bub’s room!”
A sample pot of Taubmans STORMY SHADOW can help you experiment to find your perfect pastel – a great colour to add contrast.
Dark Horse
Shaynna: “Taking the leap over to the ‘dark side’ has the potential to invoke terror in some. But not you. You are bold. You are a pioneer. You go beyond the pale. You’ve got guts. You know how to make a dark palette work in any space.”
Taubmans HOYA could be the perfect moody hue to add just the right dose of drama to your room or home – don’t be afraid to paint all the walls in your room as this is a colour that will lift a room, not enclose it.
Treasure Hunter
Shaynna: “A collector of experiences and exotic wonders. You are inspired by your travels and by the colours, sounds and scents of unknown places. You make your own maps when it comes to decorating your home.”
Try a little Taubmans MOJO to help you find the best backdrop for your treasured collections, working just as well in modern or traditional interiors, while contrasted with whites gives a classical elegance to any space. For more, visit taubmans.com.au