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Once upon a (recent) time, the tendency was to shun bold colours in favour of \u201csafe\u201d hues like white and neutrals as a means of creating calm, \u201cbut you can still have that sense of calmness with the right colours,\u201d says Hislop. Shades that reflect nature, like blues and greens, are her picks. \u201cIn my previous house, the whole kitchen was green marble. No way was I ever going to get sick of it. I loved it every time I walked into that space.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the self-described \u201ceclectic\u201d stylist, who\u2019s been injecting happy hues by way of patterned upholstery, unexpected shades of carpeting and bold marble surfaces into Australian homes for 16 years, colour ideally shouldn\u2019t be an afterthought. Her advice is to think about it at the building stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t play it safe in that first meeting and think, \u2018if I do white walls and a grey kitchen then I can add some coloured elements later\u2019,\u201d she says. \u201cAs opposed to building an all-white house and thinking \u2018oh, we need some colour\u2019 and putting a red armchair in the corner that sticks out like a sore thumb, introducing colour at the beginning makes it easier to introduce [more] colour with accessories and furniture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forget painting dramatic feature walls reminiscent of the early 2000s (\u201cwe\u2019re not doing that anymore,\u201d she says). Colour can \u2013 and should \u2013 be considered in every aspect of the build, remodel or restyle. Some examples include kitchens with red benchtops and walnut timber cupboards, bathrooms with warm terracotta-coloured tiles from floor to ceiling, and master bedrooms in duck-egg blue with contrast panelling.
Working with a design-led builder, like Melbourne-based Boutique Homes, can make the daunting venture of building and styling a home a delightful experience. Each of the home designs in its range provides the perfect template for you to personalise in order to \u201cgive your home a fingerprint,\u201d Hislop says. \u201cThe range they offer is really impressive. Go bold and trust your instincts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hislop\u2019s advice is to start with the kitchen and go for a \u201cgood quality stone bench with a bit of colour the rest of the house can leverage off\u201d. Be sure to include colours, materials and pieces \u201cthat bring joy,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen you get home you should have a smile on your face, not be sitting in a house that\u2019s devoid of colour or any fun things.\u201d <\/p>\n
When working with clients who are struggling to find their colours and define their interior style, Hislop starts by looking at their wardrobes. \u201cYou can gauge a lot from how someone dresses and what colours they gravitate towards,\u201d she says. If an individual\u2019s drawers are filled with vintage band tees and distressed denim, they\u2019re probably not going to feel at home in a baby-pink bathroom with mother-of-pearl mosaic tiles.<\/p>\n
People\u2019s taste in art is another giveaway: a Roy Lichtenstein print suggests they\u2019ll like bold contrasts and primary-coloured (red, yellow and blue) accents. Canvases of layered pastels and flowers point to a soft, romantic style. On Hislop\u2019s own walls, you\u2019ll find everything from enormous, colourful contemporary works to antique oil still-lifes picked up on Etsy.<\/p>\n
Once the colourful foundation is laid, it\u2019s time to fill each room with things both practical (beds, towels, chairs) and beautiful (vases, artwork, your child\u2019s arts and crafts) that speak to your personality. \u201cPersonal curation takes time,\u201d says Hislop. \u201cI would prefer to have an empty spot in the corner until I find the perfect armchair.\u201d<\/p>\n
The best part of a home is its lived-in aspects, like the marble console in Hislop\u2019s own living room with a crack right down the middle. \u201cIt\u2019s like your favourite worn leather jacket or bag that tells a story. These things create a conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Boutique Homes.<\/p>\n