In the Mood for Colour E-Book

Hans Blomquist

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Bring the transformative power of colour into your life with the help of Hans Blomquist, whose inspiring interiors will enable you to find the right colours for your home.

Leseprobe

HANS BLOMQUIST

IN THE MOOD FOR COLOUR

perfect palettes for creative interiors

photography by

DEBI TRELOAR & HANS BLOMQUIST

Designer Megan Smith

Senior commissioning editor Annabel Morgan

Editor Zia Mattocks

Location research Jess Walton

Production manager Gordana Simakovic

Art director Leslie Harrington

Editorial director Julia Charles

Publisher Cindy Richards

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2016.

This revised edition published in 2021 by

Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields,

London WC1R 4BW

and

Ryland Peters & Small, Inc.

341 E 116th Street

New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text © Hans Blomquist 2016, 2021

Design and photography

© Ryland Peters & Small 2016, 2021

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978 1 78879 356 8

eISBN 978 1 78879 404 6

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data has been applied for.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

A WORLD FULL OF COLOUR

DARK

PALE

NATURAL

SOFT

BOLD

Address book

Credits

Index

Merci

INTRODUCTION

When it comes to colour and how to work with it, there are quite a few self-designated ‘experts’ around who are full of rules and regulations about which shades to choose, how to work with them, which ones can be combined and so on. Trust me when I say that there’s no right or wrong when it comes to choosing colours. Only you are qualified to decide what suits you best.

It might sound easy for me to say this as I am an interiors stylist and, during the course of my job, have learnt how best to decorate rooms to create a particular effect. Well, thanks to my experience, I can tell you that creating a scheme you love is not as hard as you might think. But you do have to be brave enough to trust your instincts, go for what you like and put it together in your own way. As with so much in life, confidence is the key – the confidence to choose colours you love. Many of us are timid when it comes to colour choices, but if you compromise you may regret it. Sometimes it’s hard to be brave but the good news is that it’s only paint – if you hate it, you can paint over it again!

There are a few things to bear in mind. Consider the natural light in your home. Northern light is cool and blue so can make a space look cold and stark. Darker, richer shades work well in this sort of light. Southern light is golden and bright and makes almost any colour look good, but be warned that whites can look creamy and greys turn to beige. I always use a tester pot on a piece of lining paper to get a good idea of the end result.

I have tried to make this book as personal and inspirational as possible. There are literally hundreds of different ideas for colour schemes as well as suggestions for imaginative ways to add colour to your home. I do so hope you will enjoy reading it and find it useful. Let’s bring more colour into the world and make it a happier, more colourful place to live in!

In my work as an art director and interiors stylist, I’m always looking out for new colours and paint brands. I have a few favourites that offer an excellent selection of colours: Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and Benjamin Moore. What I like about these paints is that they have a very matt finish, which gives a soft, velvety look.

Another paint company that I love is Bauwerk Colour, an Australian company producing eco-friendly modern lime paint. We photographed the wonderful German castle of the owners, Bronwyn and Andreas Riedel, for this book. A little later, I was thrilled to receive an email from them asking if I would be interested in creating my own range of paint colours for Bauwerk – probably one of the most exciting and flattering requests I have ever received!

Some colours in my new range are influenced by places I have visited – for example, Tucson is a tribute to a sage green shade seen on a trip to Arizona. But, as always, I draw most of my inspiration from nature and have created shades such as Tumble, Misty and Dusty. Drift was inspired by our whippet, Felix, who has the most beautiful velvety mushroom-coloured coat. The colours are fairly neutral so will work well in any interior and, thanks to the lime paint formulation, they all have a chalky feel that looks wonderful when used on a large scale.

Mixing colours can be done in a million different ways but with Bronwyn at Bauwerk Colour I am in safe hands, as her knowledge of mixing paint is extraordinary. I am thrilled to be part of such an exciting collaboration.

NINE COLOURS.

The first samples of my new paint range were finished just in time for us to feature them in this book, although the finished colours may vary slightly from the ones shown here.

a canvas has been loosely painted with a coat of Tumble.

Tumble hangs on the wall, the large blue canvas is Dyed and the brown canvas at the front is Mudd.

A WORLD FULL OF COLOUR

It’s easy to take colour for granted. We forget to appreciate the amazing, dazzling world that surrounds us, full of a million different shades that have the power to lift our spirits or soothe our moods. For my job, I’m lucky enough to travel the world and colour surprises me wherever I go – I’m often transfixed by the different colours and light I’ve experienced in different parts of the globe. And, as I have mentioned before, most of my inspiration comes from the colours of the natural world.

So the next time you leave your house, whether you are passing through familiar landscapes or visiting a different country, look around and marvel at the variety of the colours that surround you. Now every smartphone has a camera, it’s easy to pull it out on the spur of the moment and record whatever catches your eye. Over the past couple of years, I’ve amassed a huge collection of pictures that display a wide range of different colours and textures and these are a rich source of inspiration. Try it yourself – next time you’re seeking colour inspiration, flick through your phone pics and note which ones that you instinctly like best.

I spend a lot of time taking pictures with my phone when I am travelling and there is beauty to be found nearly everywhere you go. A trip to Mexico sparked a new love for vibrant, saturated hues like yellow and red. Nature always inspires me with its wonderful colour combinations, such as the green and red pea pods (centre right) and the yellow and green of the courgette/zucchini flowers (top centre).

Nature is my starting point for any interior project. There is a never-ending source of colour inspiration on offer wherever you look – these dried leaves, pumpkins, ears of corn and seashells are just a few of my favourite shades. The pictures here were taken in different parts of the world, such as Tulum in Mexico, Barcelona, Cape Town, Stockholm and the south of France.

Any worn or distressed texture is guaranteed to catch my eye immediately, especially if there’s some colour still clinging to the surface. I saw the door at the top left in a restaurant in Mexico. Whenever I travel I visit the local food market, as I am intrigued by vegetables and fruits I have never seen before. Dried palm leaves and a vintage rope provide useful inspiration for both colour and texture.

DARK FRAME.

I love this simple setting in front of a vast, shuttered window: a humble rattan chair alongside a huge vintage zinc pot can make any corner in your home very stylish. If you have large windows that let in a lot of light, like the one shown here, there is no need to be afraid to paint your home in a very dark colour. With the help of the natural light flooding in, you can create a very dramatic room. The window shutters here are painted in a semi-gloss finish, which helps to reflect the light and bounce it back into the room.

DARK

Dark and moody colours can be hard to digest for some but are loved by others, while many people may long to try them but don’t dare to take the bold step of adding deeper shades to their home. I am a huge fan of dark colours and wish I had used more of them in my own home. They have such impact and create a sense of drama yet at the same time give a very calm and cocooning feeling. The different dark pigments to choose from include deepest indigo, inky black, thunder grey and earthy brown shades. Variations on these colours will work well with any style of architecture and décor, whether your home is super-modern or more traditional.

DARK INSPIRATIONS

Nature is a rich source of inspiration for dark colours, even if that doesn’t seem to be the case on a bright summer’s day, when green leaves and colourful flowers are in abundance. But towards the end of summer, these vivid hues begin to fade and moodier colours start to appear. As a summer-loving person, I don’t really like the transition from summer to autumn, when the long, hot days give way to dark, cool evenings, but I do prefer the richer colour palette that autumn brings. Maybe this is because an autumnal colour scheme is so much more muted and relaxing to look at, as it all sits together so harmoniously – the burnt-orange leaves on the dark brown earth, with the chestnuts piling up as the trees lose their fruit. This is when I find most of my inspiration for new ways of using colour, as these dark tones make such great and versatile backdrops.

As a summer-loving person, I don’t really like the transition from summer to autumn, when the long, hot days give way to dark, cool evenings, but I do prefer the richer colour palette that autumn brings.

DESIGNED BY NATURE.

It amazes me that all the colours around us are designed by nature. If you have read my previous books, you will already know how much I love nature, and now, after working on this book, I find that I love it even more. I might be stating the obvious when I say that the colours we surround ourselves with are inspired by what we find in nature, but I do think most of us forget to thank her for it. Shown here are just a few of nature’s many treasures: stems of beautiful, bright blue berries from a Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue muffin’ bush; bundles of branches from a birch tree, which make the perfect kindling for a log fire; a dish of velvety blueberries; and a pile of smooth, glossy chestnuts. All of these colours work well in any interior.

MOODY BLUES

I have always been a denim fan – I love jeans, not only for their durability but also for their wonderful colour. I always buy unwashed jeans, as their rich, nearly black indigo hue is so beautiful. Anything goes with deep, moody blues – light or dark, muted tones or bright, clear, spring-like shades. In an interior, dark blue works as a neutral and looks brilliant either covering the walls or when used as a grounding accent in the form of textiles and decorative objects. I especially like to layer different shades of blue, from darkest navy to washed-out cornflower. There is nothing more comfortable to wear than denim, and it is just as comfortable to live in a moody blue interior.

BLUE INSPIRATION.

To help you decide what blue to go for, collect samples in different shades, or paint paper or canvas using tester pots and hang it up. Here, I used Midnight and Abysse by Flamant, Deep Space Blue by Little Greene and Drawing Room Blue by Farrow & Ball.

USED DENIM.

I can never throw away jeans, even when they are past their best, and I used some old pairs to make this patchwork cloth. The wall is Railings by Farrow & Ball.

MONOCHROME.

The different textures and shades of moody blues play against each other very successfully, creating a look that is interesting, inviting and very calming.

TESTING COLOURS.

At one stage while I was working on this book, our apartment was full of painted canvases, either taped to the wall or hanging on lengths of string. This was the easiest way for me to test the various colours that I wanted to use. The painting of the peony on the far right is by my dear friend Kristin Perers.

MIX WITH NATURE.

This birch sofa was bought as a prop for a photoshoot and I didn’t plan to keep it, but I am so happy I did. It is a real work of art and the colour of the birch branches works well in the moody blue room. Cushions in different shades of blue add further layers of interest.

LAYERING DENIMS

When you redecorate a room, you can either do a complete makeover in one go, or take it little by little. Everything does not need to be done at once, and some places and colours should be lived with for a while, so you can get a feel for what you want to do with the rest. If you are starting from scratch and want a whole new look, one way of achieving this is to layer different shades of the same colour. This will create a room that feels very comfortable and soothing to be in, as it is all very tonal and there is nothing to arrest or jolt the eye. Any dark shade of blue will do the trick, as it is very calming and tranquil, whether you choose an intense, rich indigo or a more washed-out denim blue.