If you’ve looked at colour samples recently you’ll know how overwhelming it can feel to choose from the many variations available, particularly when you look at the many hundreds of options available which are all classified as “white”.

So, we asked our Mint Group expert designers for their top tips on how to choose an interesting, engaging, timeless, classy and elegant colour palette for your home.

1. Engage a professional, qualified, specialist kitchen or bathroom designer to help you achieve the look you are after. Not only will your designer provide you with expert guidance, they can also suggest colour schemes or combinations you may not have considered. 
2. Start thinking about creating a mood folder. There is creative inspiration to be found everywhere. When you see a picture in the latest copy of a home design magazine cut it out and create a folder with all the different colours and styles you like. Take a photo of that gorgeous café design you love. This is a really great way to start the visual process and helps your designer to get a sense of your thoughts. Don’t hold back, this is the fun part where you can unleash your creative mind.
3. Now you have collected all your ideas sit down with your designer and discuss the creative brief. At this stage the designer is gathering as much information from you so they know what it is you are after. Work with your designer to put together a mood board. This may include some of the pieces you’ve collected as well as ideas and guidance from your designer. The designer will put together colour combinations that will really show you how choosing the right colours encapsulates the feel tone and manner of your new space. 
4. Think about what colours and textures would work with your existing furniture. Neutral tones are a really safe choice when renovating your kitchen and bathroom. Whites and shades of greys and beige work will with most types of wall colours and floorings.  They also stand the test of time.
5. By adding feature wall colours you can change the look and feel of these spaces without having to upgrade the cabinetry when you become tired with the look or it starts to date. This saves money and has a good impact on the environment. Why not think of doing a fun and bright splashback in the kitchen to offset the neutral shades? This will really give a pop of eye catching colour to your designs.
6. Creating a neutral kitchen that works with the rest of your home does have to be in light neutrals. Black and greys are popular shades that give your home a contemporary feel and can blend in seamlessly with your home. The latest matte finishes bring a visual aesthetic that is very much on-trend and a strong move away from the gloss finishes of the past.
7. Think of the colours of your fixtures and fittings. Building your appliances into the design of your kitchen will give the flow of colour a seamless edge. Dishwashers and fridges can be hidden by cabinetry creating a modern, contemporary feel. The kitchen becomes part of your living space rather than a conventional looking kitchen. It’s a place where family can be together rather than just a food preparation area.
8. By adding fun and funky accessories you can change up the colours without reinventing the entire space. Primary colours such as blue, red and yellow create a whole different feel to the dated duck egg blue and powder pastels. By changing out these pieces you can reinvent your colour palette. Talk to your designer about what accessories to purchase to create your unique kitchen space. 
9. It’s fairly well accepted that today’s bathrooms must have a ‘luxury’ edge and many homeowners hope to recreate the feeling of a five-star hotel. There are many bathroom accessories that help create that decadent feel. Tapware in a brushed gold finish works superbly with beautiful patterns of whites and greys or stone colours. Matte black is another ultra-cool finish for your fittings and goes superbly with neutral tones. 
10. Add drama and style in your new bathroom with blue tones to create a calming and relaxing water vibe. Mix up the colours and patterns of the floor tiles by using vintage inspired tiles. Pair this with a splash of deep dark moody blue on your walls and you have a bathroom space you will not want to leave. Indoor plants create a natural splash of green to the space. This will help to create a natural environment brining the outside in which is great for our mind, body and soul balance.

In terms of colour theory, complementary colours create vibrant finishes but can be jarring if not used correctly. Analagous colour schemes use adjacent colours for a more relaxed, muted look. A triadic colour scheme uses one dominant colour and two opposite colours for accents. Split-complementary is a variation on a complementary colour scheme that sees a base colour paired with colours adjacent to the complementary colour. 

Don’t forget that colours will always look different in swatches than they do on the walls or panels plus the amount of natural or artificial light in the room can significantly change the tone. Many neutral variations will throw tones of browns, greens, blues, yellows or purples depending on what colours they are paired with. Spot lighting, feature lighting and ambient lighting can all affect the way a colour looks when it’s installed.

Part of your designer’s job is to consider the lighting design of the room and recommend solutions that provide you with the colour scheme you desire, so feel free to draw from their expertise while in the planning stages of your project.

At Mint Group, we’re experts in colour and design and our specialist designers bring their years of experience to creating colour palettes that suit not only your home, but your personal tastes and lifestyle as well. Talk to us today and let us work our colour magic in your home.