Starring… teal and orange

Next time you watch a modern Hollywood movie, be on the lookout for excessive amounts of orange and teal. Why? Because flesh tones are in the orange spectrum and one of orange’s complementary shades just happens to be the teal colour. The theory is that by using a blue-based colour for the background, the actors’ faces will ‘pop’ out of the screen.

This effect is easy to copy in your own home. Simply choose your base wall colour (it’s best to choose a subdued shade of teal or orange, such as terracotta or a pale peacock shade) and add dashes of highlighting shades in your complementary shade. Just be sure to keep the floor a light, neutral colour to be certain that the space feels crisp and uncluttered.