Use of colours in interior space and exterior facade

Habitat

29 November, 2021, 12:45 pm
Last modified: 29 November, 2021, 01:00 pm
Colour is one of the prerequisite factors in interior design that can inspire, excite, soothe and heal

A home is not just a living space, it is also a reflection of the residents' emotions and feelings. 

So when it comes to painting your home interior and exterior, make sure the colours you use give you and your family members comfort and joy. 

There are hundreds of paint options available in the market, each delivering a different texture and finish. 

However, if the colours are not chosen carefully, they might ruin your home instead of beautifying it.   

Every room and every mood different 

"The idea of perfect colour mostly depends on the mood you want in your room. A space with a cozy vibe will have a different colour than one with an energetic mood," said Architect Saima Sonali of Kendrik Architect. 

If you want a warm, cozy and welcoming vibe in your living space, you can try deep and rich accent colour on one wall in contrast with lighter ones for other walls. 

For example, Saima has one wall of her drawing-room painted coffee brown while the other three walls are white. The contrasting colours create a striking and welcoming vibe.

After a long day at work, bedrooms become our comfort zones. For these rooms, you can use soothing colours such as pastels that are also very trendy. 

You can add vibrant colours like yellow or orange to add some spark. 

For the dining area, you can either go for the classic creamy white, or a combination of blue and golden. 

If you have plants in this room, a splash of red will make the greeneries pop. 

Colour is one of the prerequisite factors that can inspire, excite, soothe and heal; this is very important for children. 

You have to ensure that the colour you use in your children's room is safe and comfortable and nothing too bright or too dark. 

Blues are said to lower heart rate and blood pressure while orange is known to symbolise warmth. 

Other than these, soothing yellow, red, lime green and pinks are the most popular colours. 

Photo: Berger

Adding different colours and patterns, keeping your kid's choice in mind, will add an extra feather to the crown. 

If you have a study room, go for light greens, pastel blues, cream or lavender as they have a  calming effect on us.  

Decorating your rooms with thematic designs are a big on-trend these days. 

Berger paints offers a service called 'Illusion' to their customers. Here you will find many themes like Angry Birds for children as well as newlywed themes for adults.  

"During the pandemic, people spent more time in their homes, which resulted in an increase in demand for Illusions," said Sayed Shorif Russel, category manager of Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd.

Size of the room

The colour of your walls plays a role to make your room look smaller or bigger. 

For a smaller space, go for cooler tones in neutral shades to open it up and avoid sharp contrasts. For larger rooms, medium to deep colours in warm tones would do magic. 

For larger rooms, medium to deep colours in warm tones would do magic. Photo: Berger

To contrast or not?

If there is a spot or feature you really want to focus on, go for sharp contrasts. The high contrast will help highlight that particular feature. 

On the contrary, go for monochromatic looks if you want to downplay any area.

Consider the lighting

The outcome of the colour also depends on the amount of light the room gets. 

You can paint a section of the wall and see how the colour looks different in daylight and at night. 

Going with a darker shade may make the room appear smaller but with proper lighting, it will also blend in better with the surrounding. Photo: Berger

Look for the texture you want 

In terms of texture and finish, the paint brands offer a wide range. Matte finishes are never off trend but silky finish paints are also quite popular. 

Other than their Luxury Silk Emulsion, Berger has Luxury Silk Metallic Finish. The metallic finish can be great for drawing rooms or dining rooms. 

Shiny, glossy paints can add a playful vibe to children's rooms. 

Do not miss primers

To get an even coating and smooth finish, we strongly recommend you to get a primer and sealer, unless you have a paint that includes all these features. 

If you want to add dramatic colours to your walls, a primer is a must. Primers will help the colour to be better layered.  

Easy maintenance

Keeping the walls clean for longer can be hard, especially if you have children in the house. In that case, you should go for paints that are easily washable. 

In case of paints like Berger EasyClean or Aqua Emulsion Paints, you can wipe away any stain with a damp cloth. 

Exterior paint

If you want your building to look bigger, go for light colours like white, off-white, sky blue, light yellow etc. 

However, the look will be affected by the natural lights. 

On the other hand, going with a darker shade will make it appear smaller but also blend in better with the surrounding. 

If you want to add a fun look, you can try bright shades such as orange, grass greens or red. 

Additionally, look for paints that are damp-proof and protect the building against dirt and dust. 

Berger has a WeatherCoat range that offers to fight the presence of acidic gases in the atmosphere while Aqua Platina provides a 10-year warranty. 

Sometimes paints can fade with time, so make sure to use durable ones.

"Painting the home's interior and exterior is an investment. The last thing I would want for my home's interior is to see the bright red turning into a pale orange over time," said Rizia Sultana, a school teacher. 

Fire-guard paints

The demand for fire-guard paints is increasing worldwide. 

These paints can be used as a topcoat over steel and can help the building withstand fire for up to three hours, allowing people to evacuate the building in case of a fire emergency. 

Go eco-friendly

To make our homes and our planet safer, always look for paints with zero toxins. Odour free paints with zero lead are always a better option. 

Although simplicity is beautiful, do not be afraid to go bold if you want. Do a couple of experiments before you make a final decision. 

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