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Understanding the temperature of colour
Discover the Art of Decorating: Explore Warm and Cool Color Schemes
Decorating? Choose colour combinations with confidence.
Getting started
If you’re about to start decorating, you might find it helpful to take a look at a colour wheel first. You’ll notice that the wheel is roughly divided between two colour groups: warm hues and cool hues. Reds, yellows, oranges and beige/creamy colours are warm, while the blues, greens and greys are cool.
Warm colours
Stimulating, spicy and invigorating, warm hues work best in the social rooms of the house, such as the living room, dining room and kitchen. If you love saturated colour, you could go for zesty, citrus hues like lemon yellow, tangerine orange or fuschia pink. If you prefer a more subtle look but still want to incite warmth, head towards the darker end of the warm spectrum – think mulberry purple, burnt orange and mustard yellow. Warm colours are ideal if you have a darker north-facing room, as they enhance light quality and add warmth.
Cool colours
Calming and serene, cool colours help to quiet the emotions and soothe the senses, making them perfect for spaces in which you want to rest, relax and reenergize. You could layer marine blues in the bathroom for a blue-lagoon feeling – we love cobalt, ultramarine and translucent aqua –, or decorate your home office in smoky shades of lilac to create a calm environment. If you’ve got a south-facing room that gets plenty of sunshine, try balancing the glare with cool colours, like evergreen and sea blue.
Warm neutrals
Easy on the eye, warm neutrals are perfect for creating a look of understated elegance. If you’re dreaming of a cosy sanctuary for a perfect night’s sleep, you might like to try painting your bedroom a mix of warm neutrals, such as soft truffle, warm honey and milk chocolate. The pale tones will create a serene atmosphere, while the deeper shades will evoke a sense of luxury. Intensify the cosy atmosphere with soft blankets in tones like oyster and nutmeg.
Cool neutrals
Soft and tender, cool neutrals are ideal for adding balance and stability to a room. To create a room that feels slick modern, look to hues at the darker end of the spectrum such as pewter, smoke grey, charcoal and slate. Or to create a softer, more delicate mood, opt for feathery off-whites like pearl and almond, or powdery greys like dove grey and steel. Add contrast by pairing them with fresh white woodwork and timber flooring.
Conclusion
Picking the right colour palette is essential to designing a home that truly reflects who you are and how you live. Warm colours add energy and liveliness in spaces where people gather, like living rooms, dining areas, and kitchens. Whereas cool shades create a calm and soothing atmosphere — perfect for bedrooms, bathrooms, or home offices. Neutral tones, whether warm or cool, bring balance, elegance, and a timeless look that complements any style of décor.
When you understand how different colours react to light, room direction, and furniture, you can make confident choices and design spaces that feel both inviting and visually balanced. Using premium paints like Dulux ensures your chosen colours stay rich, durable, and easy to care for, keeping your interiors beautiful year after year.
FAQ
1. How do I choose the right paint colour for a small room?
To make a small room feel larger, choose light and airy colours. Soft, cool neutrals like dove grey or off-whites like ivory reflect light, creating an illusion of space. These shades provide a clean, uncluttered look, perfect for maximising the feel of a compact Singapore apartment and creating a serene atmosphere.
2. What paint colours work well in north-facing bedrooms?
North-facing rooms receive cooler, indirect light. To counteract this, choose warm colours to create a cosy and inviting atmosphere. Hues like soft yellows, warm neutrals such as beige or ivory, or even a rich burnt orange will add warmth and enhance the quality of natural light in your Singapore bedroom.
3. What paint colours work well in south-facing living rooms?
South-facing rooms get abundant, warm sunlight. To balance this intense light, opt for cool colours. Calming shades of blue, serene greens, or sophisticated cool greys from the Dulux palette will create a tranquil, refreshing atmosphere, making your living room feel comfortable and balanced throughout the day in sunny Singapore.
4. Can you mix warm and cool colors in the same room?
Yes, mixing warm and cool colours is a sophisticated design strategy that creates balance and visual interest. For example, pair cool grey walls with warm accents like mustard yellow cushions or wooden furniture. This contrast adds depth and personality, preventing the room from feeling one-dimensional and creating a beautifully layered look.
5. Do warm or cool paint colors make a room look bigger?
Cool colours—like light blues, greens, and greys—tend to recede, which can make a room appear more spacious and airy. However, the key is lightness; any pale colour, whether warm or cool, will reflect more light and help a small room look bigger. For the best effect, choose a light shade.
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