Alizarin

Colour schemes – Timeless interior colour schemes using neutral colours

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:17:18 +0000

Inspired by nature, neutral paint colours vary from bright white through to ebony and black, with the range in between including subtle and stronger shades of brown, ochre, earthy green and grey.
Diverse in colour from light to dark, and warm to cool in tone; lichens, bark, foliage, alpine tussock, riverbed stones, rock formations, sandy beaches and seashells found around New Zealand all inspire our interior and exterior colour schemes.
What makes them so enduring is the soft, muted natural tones, their suitability for traditional or contemporary building styles and their ability to blend rather than compete with our urban, rural or coastal environment.
For interior background wall colour, off-whites, soft greys, creams, beiges and taupes generally work well and provide a backdrop for more vibrant colour to be added with fabrics, rugs, artwork and accessories. As in nature, texture, pattern, tonal variation and accent colour is necessary to prevent blandness and create visual interest.
A neutral exterior colour scheme needs to be well planned, with consideration given to the style of architecture and the surrounding buildings, countryside or seaside. Muted tones suit any style of architecture if the intensity of colour and choice of accent trim is well balanced and co-ordinated. For maximum impact, the presentation and ‘street appeal’ of a home should be further enhanced by making a welcoming front entrance, landscaping the garden, and selecting complementary paving or tiles and outdoor furniture.

Finding the perfect off-white paint colour for interiors

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 04:17:52 +0000

Just want “designer white”?! Trying to find the perfect off-white can be a challenge – who knew there were so many different subtle cool and warm undertones?
Does that small colour swatch you loved on the fan deck or another home look totally wrong on the wall? Too grey, too pink, too buttery…how do you get it right?!
If you’re starting with a ‘blank canvas’ to decorate a space, paint colour is only part of the overall colour scheme. You need to think about co-ordinating flooring, colours and fabrics on every other surface as well.
Alternatively, you may want to choose a neutral background wall colour to complement all the existing colours and finishes in the space.
As a guide, a cooler off-white will complement schemes using grey, black, brown and blue; whereas a warm, creamy white is ideal with autumn tones such as softened gold, green, orange or earthy red.
Because colour is affected by the amount of natural light in a room and strikes each wall differently, you need to move samples around to see how they look at different times of the day. Check again in the evening under the appropriate light source before making a final decision.
Don’t forget that off-white walls will reflect adjacent colours and finishes – the effect can be quite dramatic in an expansive area where there is a strong contrast with the floor colour or a bold feature wall.
Getting it right before you start painting will ensure a successful outcome which can be enhanced with accessories such as artwork, rugs and decorative items to provide accent colour, texture and pattern.

Ali’s angle on interior design… time for a change

admin — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 20:28:35 +0000

We thought it was about time to update the Alizarin space. So here you have it – our newly designed website. Thanks to the great creative teams at Duffy Design and Maple Marketing, we’ve got a new look!

The layout of our new site highlights the different areas we work in – Interior Design, Colour Consulting and Product Sourcing.

We also want to get across the message that using an interior designer is not just for a small segment of the market with money to burn. We truly believe that using a professional designer before you begin any new build, refurbishment or renovation will actually save you money. You won’t make costly mistakes, you won’t waste time running around looking for products and test pots, and you won’t pay full retail price for products.

So let us know if you’ve got a particular design or colour query you’d like help with – we’re keen to hear from you. Contact us now on +64 (09) 524 9233 or info@alizarin.co.nz.