“Conran on Colour,” the latest tome from English designer Terence Conran (who has authored more than 50 books) starts by stating the obvious: “Colour is one of the most dynamic elements in design and decoration.” But get past the superfluous intro, and you’ll find a full palette of inspiring ideas — in both text and especially image. A few takeaways:
1. “Decorative accents are to interiors what accessories are to outfits.” In other words, they complete the look. Especially when set against a neutral background, accents of any color —whether a pillow, lampshade, carefully selected piece of artwork or simple vase of flowers —make a strong, memorable statement. Just be sure you don’t use every accent color in the crayon box, or it will muddle the effect.
2. “The right background color in the right context can be very expressive.” It sounds obvious, but some of us need a reminder. As Conran points out, off-white walls have become a kind of “default setting” in contemporary homes. Sometimes it’s about minimalism — a deliberate nod to midcentury-modern interiors “with their defiant rejection of superficial decoration” (the easygoing rooms in Conran’s 1974 “House Book” come to mind) — but often it’s due to a fear of getting it wrong. Don’t be afraid to experiment with color on a large scale, Conran says.
3. “Black can provide graphic contrast.” Feeling dramatic? Introduce the ultimate noncolor into your interiors. “Black can sharpen up detail and introduces a note of formality,” Conran says. If you’re not ready to commit to it as a background color, you can work it into specific details: ebonized floorboards, slate tiles, black leather upholstery or patterned fabric.
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