As a leading figure in the creative industry, there’s nothing Garry Cohn does not know about making a style statement. His work is described as the ‘haute couture’ of interior design. His intense passion for decor invites people to create an immersive and multi-sensory experience in the home. He was also a fun and popular presenter on RTE’s television series Design Doctors.
Homevalue magazine has the wonderful opportunity to talk to Garry about how to go from drab to fab in easy-to-follow baby steps. Take it away Garry!
Ok, you’ve done the upgrades, wrapped the house warm and tight, and now you want to make it look great – no problem. Right from the outset – and it may seem obvious – but ask for help! There are so many options that this needs to be the first tool in your arsenal. It doesn’t have to be professional help, but this is of course, available. From the comfort of your office or living room, start with Mr Google. Look up pictures of rooms and fittings online for inspiration; see what you like and dislike – print them off and use these as a basis for what you are trying to achieve before you set foot in a showroom.
You will be surprised at how easily you can add luxury with relatively small changes, such as great faucets in a bathroom, a rain shower or simply replacing handles on doors. Don’t panic if an item seems too expensive. A designer item on a premier site is often available from a different brand in large DIY stores. So, I will talk later about home design services, but first, let’s talk COLOUR.
LAYERS OF LOVELINESS
I have worked with hundreds of clients and I can say that their number one fear is colour. So let me help you to get over this in two seconds flat. Are you ready? If you get it wrong, don’t stress about getting it wrong because if you do, just paint it another colour. It’s only paint. And the great thing about paint is that it’s relatively cheap to change it, if you don’t like it. Big ticket items like a sofa are less straightforward, so playing safe here makes sense for those being pulled (dragging and screaming?) into the colour pond. Colour accents with throws and cushions are effective and easily replaceable if you play safe with the sofa. That said, fortune favours the brave and a plush velvet sofa in peacock blue, forest green, or ruby red is a stunning focal point and positively dripping in luxury.
Now let’s look at choosing colours – walls, ceilings and doors frame the room, so first choose a base. For all the ladies out there, this is just like applying a good foundation, then adding contrast and interest with different complementary shades. After the foundation, warm things up a bit for added interest. This might be with complementary or contrasting shades, or even several shades of the same colour.
The base sets the tone for the room. It can be anything from a neutral like white, beige, or grey, to a bold colour such as navy, green, or red. The thing to take into consideration apart from personal preference, is the level of light. A bright room can take any colour, while a dark room, lacking in natural light is ideal for darker, warmer shades. Here you cannot bring the light in, but you can create a sophisticated gentleman’s club effect that is calming and inviting.
BUILDING BLOCKS
Colour blocking is the buzzword of the day. It comes from the fashion industry and involves wearing an outfit that features bold, contrasting blocks of colour, typically combining two or more solid colours, such as a red top paired with a blue skirt, or a yellow dress with a green jacket. The blocking effect can be achieved in many ways, from subtle to bold. It involves a combination of complementary colours, contrasting colours, or monochromatic colours. Shown here is Washing Line blue from Curator Paints, a simple yet stunning visual draw in a bright room. A similar effect to the right blocks a darker space giving it depth and a real wow factor.
The concept of colour blocking in home decor involves using blocks of solid colours in different room areas, such as walls, furniture, and doors. Start by selecting two or three bold and contrasting colours that you like. For example, a combination of blue, yellow, and green. Then, you can use these to create blocks of colour on the walls, furniture, and decor accessories.
You might for example paint one wall in blue, another wall in yellow, and add a green accent wall to create a focal point. You can also use furniture pieces that match the colour scheme, such as a yellow sofa paired with a blue rug. A neat trick is to paint a cabinet, sideboard or even a chair entirely or partially in one of the colours on the wall – a quirky optical illusion and always a talking point. You can also use different shades and tones to create a cohesive and harmonious look. The final stage is to accessorise, bringing the scheme together to add depth to the design.
PAINT & PERSPECTIVE
Paint effects are a great way to add texture and personality to a room’s decor, but you must also consider perspective. This is critical because it can make a space appear larger, smaller, taller, or wider depending on how it is used. Perspective is the illusion of depth and distance on a two- dimensional surface, such as a wall or floor.
Painting stripes on the walls is a classic technique that can make a room appear taller or wider, depending on the direction of the stripes. Horizontal lines can make a room appear wider and more spacious. Use a horizontal stripe pattern on walls or lay a horizontal patterned rug on the floor to create a similar illusion. Vertical lines on the other hand can make a room appear taller and more open.
Diagonal lines create movement and add energy to a space. Use a diagonal stripe pattern on an accent wall or add diagonal lines with a rug to create this effect.
You can paint the stripes in bold or subtle colours depending on the style you want to achieve. If painting an entire room in stripes feels a step too far, a horizontal stripe just above the skirting can be highly effective, especially in the hallway to draw the eye and extend the feel of the journey to the living areas.
Ombre is a painting technique that involves blending different shades of the same colour from dark to light or vice versa. This creates a gradual tone transition on the walls, giving the room a subtle and soothing effect. Ombre can be as discrete or as dramatic as you wish. Start off safe and then add a bit more as you go along. Finish off with little splashes of metallic paint for a dash of glamour, transforming the wall into a wall-sized painting. Then buy accessories in the same shade to pull the scheme together.
The age-old technique of stencilling can be used to create repeating patterns on walls. This can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your decor. It can also be used effectively outdoors to brighten up dark corners or add interest to outdoor walls.
A modern take on the traditional stencil is to mask out patterns on the wall and paint between the lines. Use masking tape to draw the pattern such as stripes, diagonals or triangles and ‘colour in’ the taped area in a contrasting colour. This works very well in children’s bedrooms and it is used to great effect if you tape out frames on the wall and then add pictures; tape out triangular shapes for tepees or mountains, or tape out a large floor-to-ceiling frame and paint inside with blackboard paint – it will keep the little ones happy for hours on end.
For a rustic look indoors or outdoors, textured paint contains granules or other materials that create a textured surface when applied. This technique can add dimension to the wall, making it more visually interesting. In older houses for example, where some old brick is exposed, you can capitalise on this as a feature using textured paint to add to the effect.
If you feel slightly scared to commit to shapes and paint effects on the wall, try it on a canvas first to prove that you really can draw out your inner Picasso! And remember: colour is your friend and you can achieve a cohesive and harmonious look with a relatively inexpensive tool. This is what I call Accessible Luxury.
DREAM THEMES
Creating a beautiful room is all about expressing yourself while also setting the scene for how you want to use the space. Don’t be afraid to dive into dark and moody tones. On-trend darker shades may feel like a risky move but, in the right context, shadowy tones come into their own with a pop of pink or another bright, contrasting colour. The mix of statement shades might sound garish, but it works.
Here are a few real-life samples of rooms I worked on with clients who were brave enough to cut me loose on colour.
If you’d like to know more, check out Cohn Design on YouTube, Instagram or email hi@cohndesign.com. www.cohndesign.com
RECENT POST
The Ultimate Homevalue Christmas Lights Buying Guide
Here’s Everything You Need to Know about Christmas Lights in...
Read MoreWays to Make Your Fireplace a Hard-to-Resist, Hygge-Inducing, Hearth This Winter
As the mercury starts to drop and the air feels...
Read More12 Ways To Put That Powerwasher To Use Throughout the Seasons
How many ways could you love your power washer? Let...
Read MoreKeep it Cosy for Less With These Latest Portable & Sustainable Home Heating Ideas
Keep your spirits high and your carbon footprint small as...
Read MoreWinter is Coming. Ready to Add Fuel to the Fire? How To Source the Right Fuel, Build A Fire, And Keep It Going.
As the days grow darker, thoughts turn to Netflix, new...
Read More‘Leaf’ It to Us! Your Guide To Managing Autumn Leaves
Autumn has always presented the striking transition from one season...
Read MoreThe Many Ways To Use The Latest in Outdoor Storage
There’s an untapped spot on your property for solving your...
Read MoreSail Through Back-to-School Season With 28 Simple Stress-Relieving Home Hacks
Looking for ways to eliminate the back-to-school blues? We suggest...
Read MoreFind Bathroom Bliss with Our Latest Home Improvement Ideas and Specials
The best thing about bathroom upgrades? They’re probably the last...
Read MoreAll About Firepits – The What, Why, How, When and Where
Are you considering investing in a firepit, or do you...
Read More