Creating Homes Filled with Colour, Artistry and Soul
Words by Becca Who, Artist & Designer
There is a certain kind of magic in a home filled with colour.
Not colour chosen because it happens to be the shade of the moment. Not colour added simply to follow a trend, but colour which is chosen instinctively - the shades that draw us in, evoke memories and create a feeling that belongs entirely to us.
The most captivating interiors are not always the ones that follow the latest rules. They are the ones that stir something within us, inspire curiosity from visitors and which reveal something of the person who lives there.
A home where rich colours create warmth and atmosphere, where patterned fabrics bring movement and artistry and where walls become more than a backdrop - these elements become part of the story unfolding within the space.
For me, colour has always been a form of expression. It is a language that speaks through feeling, memory and mood. It has the ability to transform our surroundings, but also to transform how we experience them.
Creating a colourful home is not about knowing the “right” colours to choose. It is about trusting the ones that make you feel something.✧
Colour Chosen With Instinct
For many people, decorating with colour can feel a little daunting. Perhaps we love the idea of colour in a room, but feel uncertain about how to approach it. We are often encouraged to choose the safest option - the palette that will appeal to everyone, the neutral backdrop that quietly disappears, the colours that feel easy to live with because they ask nothing of us.
But our homes are not meant to simply blend into the background. They are where our lives unfold; Our homes hold our celebrations and quiet moments alike, our conversations and creativity, alongside everyday rituals. These spaces become the backdrop to memories that stay with us - in turn, they should become reflections of the people, passions and experiences that make us who we are.
I have always believed that choosing colour should be approached in the same way we choose a piece of art - with instinct rather than a rulebook.✧
We are naturally drawn towards certain colours because they awaken something within us - perhaps reminding us of a landscape we love, a season, a place we enjoyed or a moment we never want to forget.
Interior design becomes much more meaningful when we begin there. Not with: "What colour is currently popular?” But with: "What feeling do I want this space to hold?"
Colour As A Language Of Feeling
Colour has an extraordinary ability to shape the atmosphere of a room.
A deep, enveloping green can bring the calm of a woodland walk. A rich jewel-toned blue can hold a sense of mystery and tranquillity. Warm ochres, glowing pinks and golden tones can create a feeling of joy, energy and welcome.
In my own design work, I am endlessly fascinated by the emotional qualities of colour - the way certain combinations can transport us, and how a palette can capture the changing moods of nature.
Living and working in the Lancashire landscape, I am surrounded by an ever-changing world of atmosphere and contrast. The shifting skies, wild countryside and seasonal colours that surround my studio continually inspire my approach to design.✧
Colour is never simply something we see - it becomes something we experience.
Bringing Artistic Pattern Into Your Home
One of the most beautiful ways to introduce colour into the home is through pattern.
Pattern has always fascinated me because of its ability to transform the everyday into something artistic. Throughout history, decorative arts have celebrated this relationship between beauty and function - from the flowing forms of Art Nouveau to the craftsmanship and nature-inspired designs of the Arts & Crafts movement.
I have always loved the fluid boundaries between Fine Art and Design. The idea that art should not be reserved only for galleries, but can surround us in the places where we live, relax and make memories.✧
A botanical wallpaper becomes something of an immersive landscape. A beautifully designed fabric can transform furniture into something expressive and unique. A decorative pattern can bring a sense of history and imagination to a room.
The wallpapers and fabrics we select are not simply decorative choices - they are opportunities to bring more art into our everyday lives.
Layer Colour Through Texture
Colour becomes even more captivating when it is layered. When different textures and materials come together, a room gains depth - patterned wallpaper against painted surfaces, luxurious velvet alongside smooth cotton, soft furnishings adding comfort and personality.
These layers of differing textures create interiors that feel rich, welcoming and beautifully lived in.
Curtains frame the changing light throughout the day, becoming part of the atmosphere of a room.
A velvet chair becomes more than a place to sit - it becomes a favourite corner for quiet moments, conversations and memories. Cushions and textiles add smaller moments of colour and pattern, creating a welcoming sense of harmony and connection.
Like a painting built from many brushstrokes, a home gains its character through the relationship between all of its elements.
Embrace Unexpected Colour Combinations
Some of the most beautiful interiors are created when we allow ourselves to experiment.
A deep forest green alongside a soft blush pink - or rich sapphire tones balanced with warm earthy shades. It’s these unexpected combinations that create a sense of intrigue and personality.
Nature itself rarely follows a perfectly matched palette and the beauty often lies in contrast. A woodland, a garden or any wild landscape is full of unexpected combinations - colours that sit together because they belong together, not because they have been carefully arranged according to a formula.✧
Our homes can be approached in the same way. Trust the colours that speak to you and allow your personality to guide the choices you make.
Surround Yourself With What You Love
A truly colourful home is about more than paint and fabric - it is about the stories held within the objects around us.
A treasured antique chair given a new life through beautiful upholstery. Artwork collected because it sparks imagination. Books gathered over years. Handmade pieces chosen because they bring joy. These details are what create a sense of belonging.
The most memorable interiors do not feel as though they have been created overnight. They feel as though they have evolved - gathering colour, texture and meaning as life unfolds within them.✧
A home should not simply be styled - it should be lived in.
Read Beyond More: What Maximalist Interior Design Really Means and explore the beauty of Maximalism - a creative approach to interiors where colour, pattern and meaningful objects become expressions of who we are.
Create A Home That Feels Like You
There is no single formula for creating a colourful interior and that is where the joy lies!
The most beautiful homes are not copies of one another; They are reflections of the people within them - shaped by memories, inspirations, passions and the things that make us feel most ourselves.
Choose the colour that makes you pause and embrace the pattern that captures your imagination. Surround yourself with pieces that bring joy and meaning into your everyday surroundings.
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