Introduce colour blocking in your home

The colour blocking trend has leapt from the pages of fashion magazines onto the walls of our homes, with spectacular results. There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to picking colours, but if you want maximum impact, using contrasting shades is key. Try mustard yellow and a smoky, deep violet or emerald green and a crisp white. For a more subtle sense of depth, choose two complementary colours, such as steel grey and dusky blue.

A clever tip is to choose colours that already play a part in the space, as this will ensure a unified colour scheme. Are you painting a period home or a space with defined features? Choose one colour for the walls, another shade for your alcoves and a brilliantly bright shade for your chimney breast. Anchor the look with accessories in similarly vivid colours.