How To Use Warm Colours And Tones In Your Home

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Wed 3 Feb 2021

“Warm” doesn’t have to refer to temperatures. The warm colours we explore in today’s blog may not boost your °C or °F, but they will certainly make you feel warmer in a more wholesome way. Leave your radiators to warm your room, these colours will warm your soul.

An introduction to warm colours

Warming colours make us feel homely, comfortable and snug. They are the perfect addition to any space where you relax. The use of the right colours will help you think of warm things from the sun to hot places you’ve visited – if you want to feel the warmth of Italy, use some popular Italian colours that will remind you of long walks through a hot city.

The warm colours we’ll investigate can be earthy or more vibrant and sit closely on the red side of the spectrum. Look to create a feeling of harmony and balance. Warm colours are great but avoid going overboard – as always, neutral colours are great in the support of bolder, toasty tones.

A top tip before we go further is to use warm tones in larger rooms. Warm colours will help to make the space feel less open and improve the cosiness factor.

Red tones, standing by

Red is a very warming colour – and it’s obvious to see why! All tones of red will help you spice up your homes but there are so many to consider you should take your time to find the perfect shade.

As we said earlier, warm colours and tones can help make a large space feel less intimidating. If you really want to boost the cosy character of a room, look to dark reds as the tone will enrich the role of the colour to this end. Dark reds tend to work well en-masse, therefore look to bigger items of furniture, large walls or beautiful red curtains to make the most of these colours.

Acting best as spot colours are the lighter, more juicy red tones. Here, look to lampshades, cushions, and angular window dressings such as vertical or red roller blinds.

To learn more about this exciting, sophisticated, and modern colour, we recently published an entire colour focus blog on regal red.

The opportunities of orange

Sat betwixt yellow and red, orange is a luxurious yet underused colour. The versatility of orange gives users an unparalleled level or options ranging from bold statements to gentle whispers of sophistication.

The unfathomably low use of orange makes the tone refreshing and exciting and, when combined with a neutral palette, elegant too. To make the best use of its warming nature, use the fuller, darker tones of orange. Anything up to, and including, grapefruit, rust, and terracotta will make any area feel welcoming and warm the cockles of the heart.

Orange tends to work best with fluid shapes. As a result, look at how orange curtains, rounded shape sofas, lampshades and cushions can work for you. Anything too angular can look a little ridged in orange so consider your options with care.

Yes, to youthful yellow

Yellow is a colour in the rise. In 2020, Illuminating was even voted Pantone’s joint Colour of the Year 2021.

Like red, yellow is a warming colour. In addition, however, it’s also energising and vibrant making it perfect for the more active areas of the home. Yellow is great for home office areas as it helps us focus and – depending on the tone – can even be a great fit for the bedroom.

Pale yellow tones are excellent in kitchens and living rooms. If you are fortunate enough to afford the space, golden yellows are also fantastic for kids’ playrooms.

For chill out spaces such as lounges and even the bathroom, look to richer shades of yellow. These are the mustard, honey and butterscotch tones. Deeper, fuller shades are great for window dressings, especially when combined with a pattern or design such as this yellow based Roman blind.

These warm colours will help you establish an additional dimension in your home. The warming feeling will be enjoyed by all those with whom you share your space and with the right choices, you can really make your mark. If, however, this blog has got you thinking about adding actual heat to your home, read our blog about curtains with thermal lining so your now cosy space can be warmer on another level.