The colour scheme
Initially I met with Alison and Andy, to help them sort out ‘the colour disaster’ in their downstairs bathroom. They had applied a light pastel green to this space to complement the lovely pink of their adjoining utility room, their quirky paintings and as an expression of their ‘green outlook’ on life, being generally environmentally conscious. The result however was quite sickly, and not particularly attractive. It had not achieved the look that they were after.

Why didn’t it work?
Firstly the actual hue itself – green – whilst being the one hue that generally works in any space provided it is chosen correctly, was not suited to this bathrooms needs. Being such a small room, there was no getting away from the dominant focus of performing ablutions, carried out here on a daily basis. Alison and Andy really needed a colour specifically suited to this activity in their bathroom in order to support it, as well as giving it the wow factor that they craved!

Secondly, the shade of green Alison and Andy used was not from the same colour family as the pink of the adjoining utility room, resulting in a clash. This is an instant visual and psychological turn-off, due to the colour’s negative psychological properties coming to the fore. In this case, a sense of stagnation and blandness was being communicated.

When a colour combination is harmonious (each shade is from the same tonal family), then the effect is the same as if listening to harmonious musical notes; pleasant to listen to and nice to be around. If you were to listen to musical notes that did not fit together, you wouldn’t be hanging around for very long. It is the same with colour.

The desired look
Alison explained they loved the ‘Miami beach’ look, and had hoped to get that in choosing the pastel green. I could see looking around their house, that it had enough space and natural light to carry off the necessary ‘airy and spacious’ feel that is key to the beach theme. There was a twist though, working in a colour that would offset their love of quirky art and paintings, not so Miami beach! This is traditionally a style rooted in art deco, and their home did contain much of that.

The challenge
A shade of colour was required that would be compatible with the pink adjoining room, their quirky art pieces and ‘green’ mind-set, love of Miami beach style pastels and supportive of a bathroom. After deliberation, I decided a warm, light blue of the same intensity of the utility room pink, would take the place of the green. When part of a harmonious colour combination, blue is psychologically calming and will evoke a sense of reflection and cool, which is appropriate for a bathroom space, especially a small one such as this.

The solution
I decided on ‘Slate Ash’ in the hardwearing Matt Emulsion by Reborn Paints. Reborn Paints are an environmentally conscious eco paint range, therefore a brilliant choice for Alison and Andy. I ensured Slate Ash was from the same tonal family as the pink of the utility room, and that it also harmonised with the wall painting and bathroom accessories. The end result was visually harmonious, psychologically appealing and environmentally friendly. Alison and Andy were delighted with their final ‘Miami Beach’ look.

Reborn Paints
Each colour in the Reborn Paint range is carefully reprocessed and blended from previously unused paints. Their VOC content is very low, ensuring minimal solvents are released into the air as the paint dries and the non-chalky finish means they stand up well to regular cleaning and washing down. They are low odour and breathable, making them suitable for areas where moisture is present.

COLOUR SCHEME by Claire Templer Design : Colour and design for interiors.
PAINT by Reborn Paints : Award winning Eco Paint range