When one of Ireland’s most celebrated interior designers lets you in on her expert advice on using colour in your home, you listen up. According to Róisín Lafferty, “Colour is an emotional toolkit. It can cocoon you in comfort or spark energy, depending on the tone, depth, and shade you choose.”
For Lafferty, “Colour is storytelling.” In fact, she says it is the quickest way to set the emotional temperature in a space. “The single most important thing is to ask is ‘How do I want to feel in this space, and how will I use it?’”
Jane Witter is a colour consultant for Dulux Heritage, which is sponsoring the Interior Design Hub at this year’s PTSB Ideal Home Show. “Colour is the mood in a room,” she agrees. “It sets the scene for how a person wants to feel.”
Many Irish homeowners are wary of colour: after all, white, cream, and pale neutrals are easy, and as a bonus, tend to go with everything. But the benefits of embracing stronger hues just can’t be ignored.
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Consider, says Witter, how colour can make you feel. “I have a background in psychology and colours really do evoke specific moods,” she confirms. “Go dark and deep to make a room cosy, go light and bright to make a room open and airy.”
Lafferty says that colour can cocoon you in comfort or spark energy–with a caveat. This can depend on the tone, depth, and shade you choose. “Getting that tone right is crucial, because every ‘blue’ or ‘green’ has thousands of variations that feel totally different,” she points out.
Where soft blues and smoky greens are energising yet calming, she points to clay pinks as grounding and warm.
That sense of at-home serenity is a trend we are embracing. “Irish people are looking for grounding colours which work to make a home feel sanctuary-like,” agrees Witter.
“There is a definite move towards well-rooted colours that evoke feelings of calm and balance – this can be seen globally too. These are colours that belong to the neutral or earthy spectrums, including deep browns, fresh pale green and deeper, richer, warmer neutrals.”
North and south
It’s inspirational stuff, but before you race off to buy your paint, there are a couple of things to consider. In terms of what’s out, colour-wise, Witter says that she believes grey is over. “People have had enough grey over the past decade.”
Lafferty’s take is that she tends not to think in terms of what’s out, but rather, what doesn’t really work. “Sugary, artificial colours don’t sit well in homes, they jar and they date quickly. Fuchsia pink, for me, is out; it never should have been in.”
Additionally, you should make sure you understand the orientation of the room you’re decorating.
“A north-facing room will behave very differently to a south-facing one,” warns Lafferty. “But I always encourage people to trust the colours they love. If a shade resonates with you, there’s usually a way to make it work.”
To get it right, Lafferty always offers the same advice. “Paint samples on big boards and move them around the space. There’s no right or wrong–it’s subjective and personal.”
According to Witter, “Every colour looks completely different in different lights. You need to see how it looks at different times of the day on particular walls. It won’t look the same all the time.”
Still, making a move away from white and cream can be a challenge. “Start softly but be brave,” advises Lafferty. She says that we are gravitating towards warmer neutrals with character. “A muted blue or a gentle green feels like a natural step away from white, while still calm and liveable.”
Or she suggests that you try colour on cabinetry, ceilings, or doors first. “When I first suggested painting doors and walls the same colour, even painters resisted. But once people saw the effect, they trusted it.”
Embracing bold hues
When it comes to how you can use colour, it’s no longer just reserved for walls alone. There’s a big move towards colour-drenching where walls, ceilings and joinery are painted in the same shade. “I don’t see that as a trend though; it’s the only way to get the full benefit of colour, and something I’ve done for years,” Lafferty says.
We’re also embracing paint techniques such as limewashing and textured finishes. “Nature-inspired hues; earthy clays, soft blues and muddy browns will never date. Just look outside: nature offers thousands of tones that always feel harmonious,” she advises.
And what about the sometimes-controversial feature wall? Lafferty says it’s “a hard no,” but Witter has some advice for those who love the look. “The key is doing them intentionally and with elegance. You don’t need to go super bold with your feature wall, think more of a considered approach for a chic and intentional look,” she says.
Okay, once we’ve done all that, what’s next for Irish homeowners when it comes to colour? “Confidence,” states Lafferty. “People are realising colour isn’t something to fear, it’s how you personalise a home. The next wave is layered palettes: combining bold statement tones with softer, grounding hues to create depth and longevity.”
