Rockett St George Extraordinary Interiors In Colour E-Book

Lucy St George

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Seitenzahl: 119

Beschreibung

In Extraordinary Interiors In Colour, self-confessed colour addicts Jane Rockett and Lucy St George follow on from their best-selling first book by tackling the topic of choosing colour for the home.

Leseprobe

EXTRAORDINARY INTERIORS IN

Colour

EXTRAORDINARY INTERIORS IN

Colour

JANE ROCKETT LUCY ST GEORGE

Photography by

CATHERINE GRATWICKE

We would like to dedicate this book to the memory of Chris Rockett 1941–2018.

Senior designer Toni Kay

Senior commissioning editor Annabel Morgan

Location research Jess Walton

Production manager Gordana Simakovic

Art director Leslie Harrington

Editorial director Julia Charles

Publisher Cindy Richards

First published in 2019 by

Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields,

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 East 116th Street

New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

Text copyright © Jane Rockett and Lucy St George 2019

Design and photographs copyright © Ryland Peters & Small 2019

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 978-1-78879-155-7

E-ISBN 978-1-78879-319-3

The authors’ 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.

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

Library of Congress CIP data has been applied for.

Printed and bound in China

Contents

Introduction

Understanding Colour

The Spectrum

Trends through Time

Taking Inspiration

The Mother of all Mothers

Around the Globe

Choosing Colour for your Home

Warm Colours

Cool Colours

Let’s Get to Work

Conclusion

Sources

Picture and business credits

Index

Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION

'I prefer living in colour' David Hockney

So (pause for effect)…Book Number 2: Extraordinary Interiors in Colour! Once we get over ourselves and calm down from the excitement of being given the opportunity to create our second book, we will get on with the job in hand, which is talking about two of our favourite subjects – colour and interiors.

Last year we were asked to curate our own paint collection by the wonderful Craig & Rose, who have been making superior-quality paints since 1829. During the process, we delved deep into the world of colour, learning about the effect it has on our lives, its history and how it should be used in the home. The experience of creating our own paint range made us realize that we had the foundations for a really interesting book.

In this book, we discuss everything from the history to the psychology of colour, as well as providing advice on how to choose a colour palette that perfectly suits your tastes, your home and your lifestyle. But that isn’t all. We have also been lucky enough to visit a number of truly inspirational homes and meet their creative owners. These incredible places embrace and celebrate colour like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

Throughout, we focus on colour and how it translates into interior design. To start, we explain how colour works (the science bit) and how trends have evolved over the years (the history bit). Mother Nature is the mother of all mothers when it comes to colour, so we have dedicated the next chapter to colour and nature. Travel, too, is top of the list when seeking colour inspiration but, interestingly, the way different colours are perceived varies from country to country. We also spend time discussing the fascinating links between colour and our emotions, exploring the many ways that colours can make us feel, and revealing which colours work best in specific rooms. Finally, we have lots of advice on how to create a colour scheme that works for you.

At the end of each chapter, we explore real-life homes that are bursting with colour and creativity. These display a magical mixture of colourful interior styles, each one packed with unique design ideas and colour combinations. We also talk to their inhabitants about their relationship with colour, their interior style and how their interiors have developed over the years. The homeowners in this book are spectacularly talented individuals who are fearless in their interior decisions, and as a result have designed original and breathtaking rooms that surprise, enchant and excite. Prepare to be inspired!

UNDERSTANDING COLOUR1

THE SPECTRUM • TRENDS THROUGH TIME

The Spectrum

HOW COLOUR WORKS

If you are involved in any form of interior decorating, an understanding of colour is essential. Choices regarding colour can seem rather mystical, as we often base our decision on something ‘just looking right’. Some people are lucky enough to have an eye for colour and find it easy to blend tones successfully. What it boils down to is that certain colours work together and others just don’t. There are reasons for this, and the rules can be learned, used and broken to great effect.

WHAT IS COLOUR?

Colour is created when an object reflects or emits different qualities of light (think prisms at school!). Although we thought it was important to include this information, we are not going to dwell on it since it will not help us decorate our homes, and that’s what we’re here to talk about!

The study of colour started more than 2,000 years ago. Those wonderfully advanced Ancient Egyptians have been recorded as using colour for curing ailments. Later on the Greeks got involved, but considered colour solely as a science. Then came colour models. These have been used many times in history: Aristotle developed the first Western scale of colour, which in turn influenced Isaac Newton to identify the visible spectrum – the seven colours of the rainbow.

The 12-colour wheel

COLOUR RELATIONSHIPS

We will try to make this as painless as possible, but rest assured that an understanding of colour will be really helpful for the next time you are putting a mood board together or standing at the paint counter. Newton was the genius who gave us insight into complementary colours and optical contrast. He identified the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary colours, and conveniently created an easy-to-use colour wheel to help us understand shades and tints and to choose schemes that work effectively.

As we know, the primary colours are blue, red and yellow, and these can be mixed in equal parts to create the secondary colours, green, orange and purple. When primary and secondary colours are mixed in equal parts, they result in tertiary colours, which sit between them on the colour wheel. You will also get tertiary colours from mixing two secondary colours. Put together the three primaries, three secondaries and six tertiaries, and the result is the super-useful 12-colour wheel.

Stay with us, because now we are getting to the useful bit – how to put together a great colour scheme. Colour schemes are two, three or even four colours that, when combined, can be used to create amazing designs, be they for fashion, interiors, websites or other graphics. And it goes without saying that getting your colour scheme right is of paramount importance.

The shades of green, pink and orange used in this spectacular wallpaper appear on opposite sides of the colour wheel, creating excitement and energy. The black background grounds the colours and adds intrigue.

Yellow-orange blended scheme

Blue-green blended scheme

BLENDED (ANALOGOUS) COLOUR SCHEMES

We’ve taken the liberty of renaming this type of scheme, as it is actually called analogous, but who’s going to remember that? Blended schemes use colours that sit next to each other on the 12-colour wheel. These similar shades and colours work well together, and such schemes are often seen in nature. They are harmonious and pleasing to the eye, perfect for peaceful interiors with a mood of relaxation and calm. These have to be our personal favourite, because they are easy to use and always a winner.

Blended (or analogous) schemes use colours grouped beside each other on the wheel for a strong yet calm effect, as can be seen with this encaustic floor and luxurious bedroom.

This room uses strong complementary colours to create an energizing, eye-catching scheme. The hot pink and gorgeous green sit exactly opposite each other on the colour wheel, so are perfectly balanced.

Complementary colours

COMPLEMENTARY COLOUR SCHEMES

These are created by selecting two colours that sit directly opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as red and green or blue and orange. As these colours are exact opposites, there is a strong contrast between them, which can have great impact. These types of schemes can be hard to pull off, but when done well will have stunning results.

Split complementary colours

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY COLOUR SCHEMES

A split complementary colour scheme is created by choosing one main colour and selecting the two that sit either side of what would have been its complementary colour. For example, if my main colour is blue, then the other two colours can be found on either side of blue’s complementary colour orange, so yellow-orange and orange-red.

As this type of colour scheme is quite close to the complementary scheme, it can be punchy yet slightly calmer and more balanced. These schemes work brilliantly if you love a particular colour and want to use it as the main focus, with the split complementary colours as accents.

A spectacular example of a split complementary scheme. Inky blue walls teamed with colour-popping orange and yellow artworks and lighting achieve a creative, jaw-dropping result.

Triadic colours

TRIADIC COLOUR SCHEME

This scheme works just as its name indicates – it uses three colours that are evenly spaced around the wheel. These schemes tend to offer quite a bit of contrast, so if you are brave and bold they might be just your cup of tea. Alternatively, it is easier to allow one of the colours to dominate, with the other two used as accents. This scheme might look bold and bright on the wheel, but when you introduce tints and shades (see right) everything becomes calmer and more subtle.

MONOCHROMATIC COLOUR SCHEME

As the name suggests, this type of scheme uses only one base colour plus all its various shades and tints. Monochrome schemes tend to be very harmonious and visually cohesive, so they create a great backdrop and allow your possessions to take centre stage. They are also perfect for small spaces, as using variations of the same colour can make a room look larger. That’s not to say that monochrome schemes can’t make an impact – think black and white interiors, which use a restricted monochrome palette to create dramatic effects.

Hues, tints and shades

HUES, TINTS AND SHADES

Not all of us like to decorate using bold hues and prefer more subtle tones, otherwise known as tints and shades. A tint is the result when any colour, or hue, is mixed with white, while a shade is any hue mixed with black.

The only aspect of the colour wheel left to talk about is cold and warm colours. This is straightforward – just draw a line vertically through the colour wheel and the colours on the left are cold while the colours on the right are warm. We’ll talk later about which colours work best in which room, and when we discuss warm or cold colours this is what we mean.

So that’s the science part – we hope it wasn’t too painful. Having given you the rules, it is important to remember that colours work differently for all of us. We humans not only have a variety of tastes but also varying vision due to minute differences in our optical receptors, which means that we all see colour in a multitude of ways.

All that remains to be said is that rule-breaking can result in incredible results, so the way is open for you to express yourself and let yourself go with colour.

At El Fenn in Marrakech, Willem Smit has mastered the difficult triadic colour scheme in this striking sitting room. The modern purple sofa, earthy, sandy walls and bold green artwork are an excellent example of a brave scheme that works perfectly. The combination of natural hues and vibrant colours is reminiscent of Mother Nature’s palette, and she never gets it wrong.

Einar is a gallerist and the apartment is full of stunning artworks. The dark grey hallway is punctuated with statement light fittings and features a colour-popping upholstered banquette that provides a space from which to enjoy the pieces on display here. These include an integrated screen that plays art video Gre Hår (combing hair) by Charlotte Thiis-Evensen, which was previously exhibited at the Vigeland Museum, Oslo.

COLOUR IS THE New Black

Soaring ceilings, elegantly proportioned rooms, fabulous art and a bold palette of opulent colours are the hallmarks of Einar and Siv Rønning’s contemporary Oslo home. Einar and Siv’s vision was a luxurious apartment with attention-grabbing features, and they have managed to combine the historic detailing of the building with the best of contemporary art and design. Located on Oscars Gate, one of Oslo’s most beautiful streets lined with magnificent apartment buildings and townhouses, Einar and Siv’s apartment is typical of the Neoclassical architecture of the area. A unique characteristic of this style is that it features a series of rooms arranged in a row with all the doorways lining up at the front of the building, with the secondary rooms to the rear.

In the living room, the couple opted for a calming deep aubergine/eggplant shade that covers the walls, doors, woodwork/trim, ceiling and even the light switches. This creates a warm, enveloping backdrop that allows the furniture, artwork and accessories to shine.

The string of adjoining rooms at the front of the apartment are connected by double doors, allowing views into the adjacent space. A carefully composed palette gives each room its own distinct personality, but also makes sure that it works perfectly with the colour chosen for the next space, so the rooms flow into each other harmoniously.

Einar and Siv have reworked the interior to make the most of the natural daylight preferred for modern living. The three adjoining rooms at the front of the apartment are the living spaces, with imposing double doors linking the rooms and creating a wonderful sense of flow. This is further emphasized by the fact that the colours chosen for these interconnected spaces are perfectly in harmony yet distinctively different too – a difficult effect to pull off successfully with such contrasting shades.

At the heart of the apartment, a stunning spa-style bathroom makes a virtue of the absence of any natural light thanks to its dark, dramatic decor. The large sunken bathtub can comfortably hold a family of four all at once, while on the wall above hangs a Boulder