May Mood: Colour without Commitment
May Mood: Colour Without Commitment
When it comes to introducing colour, not everyone wants to dive in at the deep end. This month’s scheme was shaped by a mid-century-loving client who wanted warmth and personality in her living room, without committing to anything too bold.
The solution? A palette grounded by neutral walls, a soft-toned rug and sofa, with a rich yellow and sky blue introduced to lift the space. If you’re looking to add colour in a similar way, the 60-30-10 rule is a useful guide: 60% neutral, 30% complementary (in this case, yellow), and 10% as an accent (sky blue). For a slightly bolder twist, we took the yellow onto the ceiling, added a checkerboard rug for rhythm, and layered in velvet and boucle to bring texture and personality without overpowering the room.
Pictured in mood board: 1. Yellow Ceiling Farrow & Ball India Yellow | 2. Taupe Walls Lick Taupe 03 | 3. Voile Curtains Anthropologie | 4. Checkerboard Rug Nordic Knots | 5. Sofa Abigail Ahern | 6. Seagrass Plant Basket Dunelm | 7. Floor Lamp West Elm | 6. Arm Karine Arm Chair Soho Home | 7. Coffee Table West Elm | 8. Pouffe Studio Ashby | 9. Yellow Spot Cushion Liberty | 10. Blue Cushion OKA | 11. Vase Atelier Brunette | 12. Beige Stack of Books Maison Flanuer 13. Artwork Maria Callas by Michael Doyle 14. Alabaster Ceiling Light Atkin & Thyme
Interior pictured: Casa Josephine
If you want to take a palette like this a step further, a little ‘unexpected red’ works a treat with a yellow, blue and neutral scheme. Whether it’s a chair, a lampshade or a cushion, a dash of red adds contrast and energy - just enough to break up the harmony and keep things feeling fresh.
Pictured in mood board: 1 Arbour Arm Chair Hay - Holloways of Ludlow | 2. Pendant Lamp Artemist | 3. Rug Anthropologie | 4. Blue Wine Glasses Our Place | 5. Striped Cushion Ian Snow | 6. ‘It’s Complicated Darling’ Plate Laetitia Rouget | 7. Yellow Cutlery Late Afternoon | 8. Folk Birds Art Work PSTR Studio | 9. Tomatoes Artwork Little Places | 10. Wavy Plate Glasette | 11. Bud Vase Astier de Vilatte
Interior Pictured: Rosanna Bossom