Bench in Chappell Green No.83 and Green Smoke No.47 & pots in various colours | You can create fabulous schemes outside your home and in the garden with Farrow & Ball colours. When it comes to choosing colour, there are no rights or wrongs, but do think about some of these factors: • The aspect of your property and surrounding area. • Consider the period of your property and the style and colour of neighbouring buildings; in particular, whether you wish to create a complementary or contrasting scheme. • Look for dominant features like brickwork, natural wood and expanses of other colours such as paved or gravelled areas, lawns, fencing, shrubs and even flowers – all of which can affect colour choice. Door in Drawing Room Blue No.253 | House in Off-Black No.57 and door in Blue Ground No.210 | • When decorating outside, you can usually go a shade or two darker than you would inside because you mostly see exterior colours in daylight. If you are considering using Slipper Satin try Off-White, or Pigeon instead of French Gray.

• To create a flow between the interior of your home and the exterior, use the same colour outside on a garden wall or a piece of furniture to help connect the two spaces together. • To make a feature of your entrance, paint your front door and frame in one colour to help make it look bigger and more imposing. • Layer colours outside just as you would inside to create added interest. Try using a mixture of colours on garden furniture such as Mizzle on chairs, with a table top painted in Old White and table legs in Mouse’s Back. Door and window in Railings No.31 | Window frames in Stone Blue No.86, chairs, from left: Churlish Green No.251, Parma Gray No.27 and Calluna No.270, birdcage: Charlotte’s Locks No.268 | Window boxes painted in colours like Card Room Green or Oval Room Blue will enhance any exterior, but be careful not to use more than three colours on the front of your house or it can begin to look confused. Paint your front door and window boxes the same colour, but try using two finishes for added interest – Full Gloss on the door and Exterior Eggshell on the boxes.

Classic colours such as black and red are very smart for front doors - try Pitch Black and Incarnadine for a classic, stylish look. Other popular front door colours include Plummett, Studio Green, Black Blue and Hague Blue, which in Full Gloss could not be more elegant. On the other hand Blue Gray or Lichen in Exterior Eggshell will give a more relaxed and contemporary feel. Door in Pitch Black No.256 | Exterior wall in All White No.2005, pots (clockwise from top left): St Giles Blue No.280, Drawing Room Blue No.253, Green Blue No.84, Lulworth Blue No.89, Cook’s Blue No.237 & Stone Blue No. 86 all Exterior Eggshell. Exterior Masonry and Exterior Eggshell In keeping with its name, why not try Oxford Stone in Exterior Masonry Paint for exterior walls. For the urban exterior, try Manor House Gray on window frames with Railings on the front door, all in Exterior Eggshell. Exterior in Light Gray No.17 | Exterior Masonry, Door in London Clay No.244 | Exterior Eggshell, Exterior trim in Lime White No.1 |

Don’t be afraid to use a mixture of colours – try Mizzle on chairs with a table top painted in Old White and table legs in Mouse's Back, all in Exterior Eggshell, to create a very relaxed atmosphere Benches, planters and pots are a great place to embrace strong colour, and ensure your garden is bright and cheerful all year long. Try colours like St Giles Blue, Charlotte’s Locks or Yellowcake for a really bold look. cheap wall art nzOr choose heathery tones like Brassica, Calluna and Mizzle for a more natural feel.diy wedding decor tips Bench seat in Brassica No.271 | cheap home accents and decor Bench in Charlotte's Locks No.268 | best christmas decorated houses in nyc

Summer houses and garden sheds look charming in Blue Gray or the slightly greener French Gray, both in Exterior Eggshell. Add character by using Castle Gray on window frames and doors. Sheperd's Hut in Mizzle No.266 with hinges in Pitch Black No.256 | Exterior Eggshell and Full Gloss Summer house in Wimborne White No.239 | For more great ideas on your next decoration project, why not head over to our Inspiration Site which has over 1000 images to browse?christmas table decorations blackLast February, I invited past House Tour participant Mark Wynsma over to socialize, share some macarons, meet my Frenchie and discuss design. wholesale wedding decorations ukHis home is fantastic with his brave DIYs, his eclectic style, and of course his bold and (very) successful use of color.

Many of my friends have mentioned his tour to me as their inspiration for painting their homes in bold hues, and now that I am looking to paint my home (currently all white), I naturally asked him for his thoughts. I knew that he had chosen his colors without so much as painting sample swatches; he made his choices with a sophistication and impressive innate understanding of color. He very generously offered to take a trip to the paint store to share his knowledge and give some tips on how to choose colors that are right for you. Here is what I learned by talking to Mark: If you have decided to paint your home but are unsure of what type of color(s) you want to use, begin with a reference point. Think of a photograph you like, a piece of artwork, the colors in your wardrobe, and what colors you already have in your home. Think about what colors you are naturally drawn to. This will help you establish where you want to begin. Look for inspiration everywhere. What is the view like from your windows?

If you have a tree that you love, draw your eye there by choosing a bold color on that wall, in either a similar color or a contrasting color. Don't be afraid to . Take note of other types of design: stripes or lines tell the eye where to go when looking at a magazine cover, photograph or artwork — they can do the same in a room. To draw the eye up in a small room, . Three Rules To Keep in Mind: • More than one color in a room can look great, but if you go in that direction, keep it to three colors maximum. If you are going with two bold colors, the third should be a neutral to give your eye a break. • When choosing your colors start by choosing your boldest color, and then choose the others with the first color in mind. • Don't be scared! Paint is not permanent and you can always change it. Putting it All Together: Below are some sample combinations to get you started. Some show more than three colors, with the idea being that there are several versions that would work equally well.

There is never one right answer to a design question. If you are looking to add just a light wash of color and want a light neutral, grey tends to look better than beige. There are more variations or tones to choose from in the grey family than in beige. If you choose a grey, don't limit yourself to the all grey sample cards — many color cards have a grey variation of the color. It might be that the best grey for you is on the far end of the purple cards. You can keep your walls neutral and also have a darker color. Neutrals are not just whites, greys and beiges. They also include: black, brown, olive and blue. If blue doesn't sound like a neutral to you, think about how blue denim goes with nearly anything. If you would like to add yellow to your space as the main color, try balancing it out with something neutral. When choosing a white to go with yellow, keep a check on how much yellow is in the in white you choose. You don't want a white with yellow in it or the reflection from the yellow wall onto the white wall will make it appear dingy.

If choosing a bold color with a vintage feel, add grey as a light neutral instead of beige. It will look more modern. If you prefer to leave out white but want yellow, try pairing it with a grey, but as with white, choose a base grey carefully. It will also appear dingy next to a yellow if it has yellow in it. Opt for a blue grey rather than yellow grey. In the above, the grey would go with either of the yellow hues shown below it (not both). Something to keep in mind if looking to add a brown is that browns often have red in them. Remember that warmer browns reflect light better. If you choose to go with a brown, think about using it on the wall by a window so light will reflect from the lighter wall. Pink doesn't have to be too saccharine. Make it sophisticated by using it in tandem with a dark color. A rich jewel tone or a deep grey can make it feel more grown up. Don't discount pink — it adds a warm complementary tone to the lighting in the room. Try to avoid pinks with too much red in them.

To keep your pink from looking like bubble gum, go for a slightly orange undertone. Pairing warm colors with purple brings out purple's natural warmth. For a modern look add a grey color to the mix. If you want to go with a red, think about the base color. Blue red is more industrial, while orange reds are warmer and easier to work with. If you are going with two bright colors of equal dominance, then paint a smaller amount of one of the brights, not two big walls. Don't be afraid of using two greens (or any two shades of the same color) in the same room. Just watch the base white to make sure it has same base as the two colors. While color is a very personal choice with many factors to think about, don't be afraid to go with your instincts. Mark's current favorite combination references nature and combines an ocean blue with green and orange. A bold combination, but one that I imagine he would make look fabulous in his home. - Red-edited from a post originally published Febrauary 26, 2014 - DF