Tuesday, 02 October 2018
You may have heard us talking in previous blogs and articles about using accent colours.
So, what do we mean when we use the term ‘Accent’?
What are Accent Colours?
An ‘accent colour’ is a colour that is used deliberately to unify an interior design scheme and provide eye-catching points of interest. Accent colours can be bold and striking, or muted and easy on the eye.
As we all know, different colours can make us feel differently. Blues tend to feel cool and calm, yellows can be bright and uplifting, and greens are peaceful and relaxing. Sometimes, people can be a little bit afraid of using colours, fearing the undesirable “explosion in a paint factory” look. However, accent colours provide a safe, easy and highly effective way of introducing colour into your home. So, with a bit of thought and guidance, it is hard to go wrong when you choose an accent colour for your furniture and furnishings.
How to Use Them
Basically, the rule of thumb is to choose maybe two or three accent colours per room and stick to them. In fact, if you restrict your choice of accent colours to several rooms in your home, you can mix and match accessories and furnishings, helping to make your budget go a lot further.
So, for example, you might opt for a fairly neutral colour scheme for your floors, walls and furnishings, but then introduce striking accent colours through your accessories. Or, you may choose a bold coloured chair – like our stunning Orlenca Accent Chair in Midnight Blue Velvet – and matching window treatments, but then opt for a neutral colour scheme throughout the rest of the room. And, you don’t need to choose bold colours to introduce effective colour accents into your home. The stunning Annika Accent Chair, for example, comes in a choice of grey, charcoal, pistachio and pumice coloured linen. These colours are perfect for modern, contemporary living spaces, especially if you are aiming for a calm and relaxing atmosphere.
Why do Accent Colours Work?
Accent colours work well when they are striking but not overwhelming. They draw your eye and provide a focal point to the room. If there are too many competing colours in a room, your eye doesn’t know where to look, which can feel exhausting and cluttered.
Interior designers call the well-planned and intentional use of accent colours in your home “giving it a consistent visual flow”. In other words, the colour schemes hang together well and look like they are deliberate, rather than simply having evolved, as a result of multiple purchases of furniture or accessories.
You can introduce accent colours in whichever way you choose – rugs, cushions, vases, pictures, radiators and, of course, chairs...
Accent Chairs
We love accent chairs, and here’s why... The benefit of an accent chair is that it is simultaneously decorative AND functional. You can use an accent chair to create a focal point within a room that complements other accent colours. However, it is also a highly functional and practical piece of furniture. For example, our ultra-modern Jaycob Armchair has contemporary Scandinavian styling, with its boxy shape and splayed pale oak finish legs. This chair is offset by modern linen upholstery in a choice of aqua blue, pale grey and charcoal grey to suit a wide range of room décor schemes.
By contrast, the boudoir-style Reyna is far more traditional in its shape and finish. It comes in a choice of sumptuous, richly-coloured velvets including purple, sapphire blue, silver, pale grey, charcoal grey and black. This type of accent chair brings a sense of glamour and style to any bedroom including those with a small interior design budget.
One final word...
If you decide to change your colour scheme, it’s not a lengthy job to alter your accent colours – you may not need to change your paintwork and wallpaper, simply swap in another accent colour to refresh your décor. Or, it might simply be a question of moving an accent chair to a different room.
If you are interested in finding out more about our accent chairs, please see our Extensive Range or call our customer service team, who will be able to help you make the right choice.
