Understanding Your House Style

How to evoke your home’s true colours through its particular style

Colours and finishes are key factors that make great impact through your renovation. But it’s crucial to understand your house style (and what works), first. Industry leading colour and trend forecaster, and Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia Harley Anstee has a step-by-step plan...

COMPOSITE-STYLE HOUSES: When thinking about the colour of your home’s add-ons, it’s important to first understand how particular colour schemes lend themselves to certain residential architectural styles. For example, a composite-style house which is very popular today, provides endless opportunities for colours and finishes. The colour scheme can be a dramatic or a conservative palette, there are no limitations on colour for this style. However, you should consider the proportions of the building, the materials and the textures.

If you’ve decided on a conservative colour palette, texture will provide much needed character and interest. Then, use a strong, deeper colour to accent a particular detail such as the front door. LYSAGHT LIVING® colours IRONSTONE®, TERRAIN®, JASPER®, BASALT®, and MONUMENT® are perfect in this colour palette.

CLASSIC/HERITAGE STYLE HOUSES: If you are renovating, re-roofing or building a classic or heritage style house, a traditional scheme can be selected—COTTAGE GREEN®, CLASSIC CREAM™, MANOR RED® and WOODLAND GREY® are ideal. However, for an add-on or extension, you may wish to ignore the classic scheme and use a more innovative and inspired scheme. In this case, DEEP OCEAN®, IRONSTONE®, MONUMENT® or BASALT® would be appropriate. These colours provide a different direction for the roofing and when combined with an interesting choice of paint colours the effect can be dramatic.

GOING WITH THE FLOW: But if creating a dramatic contrast isn’t your thing, then linking the indoors and outdoors by carefully selecting finishes and colours will instantly add a feeling of spaciousness and a seamless flow between your existing home and add-on—regardless of whether it’s attached or freestanding.

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