Megan BristowIn interior design as in all art, color sets the mood and tone. When you walk into a room in your home the lighting strikes you. The color palette affects you, is it uplifting, or is it subdued? You will know within moments if you feel comfortable in a room. When space, shape, and color combine the interior design of your home can be transformative. Do you know how to harness the power of color to enhance your home’s design?
World-renowned, Belgian master architect Jean-Michel Gathy is the founder of DENNISTON, an architecture firm with a specific niche market. Gathy’s firm specializes in the creation of innovative designs for up-market hotels and other establishments in the industry. Thanks to its forward-thinking architecture, design, and technology applications in a constant state of evolution, DENNISTON has been able to retain its position as the market leader and a reference point for all designers in the industry.
Gathy’s signature designs have inspired many leading architectural works, which are showcased in a list of some of the most recognized hotels and resorts including the St. Regis in Tibet, The Setai in Miami, Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay in China, and the Aman Canal Grande in Venice amongst many others.
With a career that has spanned almost four decades, Gathy shares his top five reasons why utilizing color is an important element when designing a space.
Color and Mood
Never underestimate the power of color in interior design and the powerful effects it has the viewer. “Color has an immediate effect on mood—the ability to calm or invigorate—and creates energy and depth of field,” says Gathy. “It’s a powerful thing, and used intelligently, it can be a beacon for inspiration.”
Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay
Be Adventurous
Gathy advises avoiding monochrome and tonal color palettes in interior design. “Too much tone on tone is quite boring. The colors you choose do not always have to match, but should rather complement one another.”
The Chedit Muscat Oman
Color Conveys Message
Your choice of color palettes in interior design is an expression of your personality. “Color has an immediate and enormous effect on the atmosphere. If you enter a dark home, your mood instantly changes,” says Gathy. Choosing color schemes that carry the message you want to convey in your home will ensure that guests inherently understand your personality and overall aesthetic.”
The Setai Miami
Proportion is Key
Getting the balance right in color use and frequency of patterns is key. “Be careful not to over-mix patterns, otherwise they’ll start to compete with each other. Offset patterns with neutral breaks to create balance so the eye isn’t challenged,” advises Gathy. “For example, if you have busy, multi-coloured pillows, opt for a more streamlined geometrical rug in black and white or tones of beige. Grounding the room with neutrals means you can add colourful highlights in the way of pillows, throw blankets, and rugs.”
The Chedi Muscat Oman
Bring It All Together
Having distinctive themes for each room is expressive and creates varying tones and atmospheres. However, it’s important to have the rooms in your house connect to each other as well. “The beauty of decorating a home is that each room can look and feel distinctive, so you can use a different colour scheme in every space if you choose,” says Gathy. “The trick is to create cohesiveness by choosing complementary colours where rooms connect.”
Visit denniston.com.my for more information on Denniston Architects or Principal Designer Jean-Michel Gathy.
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