It can be daunting to use a dramatic colour but you can alleviate some of the anxiety using a simple technique. Paint 2-3 large pieces of cardboard (you can pick them up from news agencies) in your chosen colour using a sample pot. Place these pieces of cardboard on different sections of wall in your room to see how the colour looks in different light and shadow. Place at least one piece of cardboard quite high up the wall. Leave them there for a few days to see how the colour looks at different times of the day and night. If you are still not completely sure after this exercise, compromise and just use the grape on a feature wall.

Generally speaking, light colours make a space seem larger so paint your walls in lighter hues, which reflect the light and brighten up the room. Be sure not to cut your space up by using borders or painting above and below picture rails different colours. The same goes for dado boards. Keep the full wall the one colour or use just very slight contrasts to maximise the feeling of space. You can also promote the illusion of height by painting the walls and the ceiling in the same (light) colour. Remember dark ceilings will tend to look lower. You can also paint the trims the same colour as the walls so as not to draw attention to the boundaries of the walls.

Begin by browsing through lifestyle magazines, like House & Garden and Home Beautiful, to see if there is anything that jumps out at you. Keep your eyes peeled when you are out and about. Friends’ houses, even cafes and fashion boutiques that you visit, might have a particular colour or colour scheme that appeals to you. Do you have a favourite shirt, or even a favourite doona cover, where the colour makes you feel good? Remember you can use items like these to match up with colour cards or you can even take them into your local Inspirations store to get your paint colour matched. Don’t forget to check out the Choosing Colour section and the Photo Gallery of this website to get inspired. To make colour choices with complete confidence, consider having an in-home Inspirations Colour Consultation.