Experiment with colours but don’t go overboard

Service rooms ? bathrooms and kitchens ? have several features in common. They are both for specific purposes and not just extra living areas. And second, they take a lot of ‘punishment’ and have to be made of hard-wearing materials.

Surface textures

Glossy surfaces and gloss paints are often used for kitchen and bathroom walls because people think they are easier to keep clean and last longer. This is no longer true. Today’s matt emulsions can withstand condensation just as well and are better looking, too.

Gloss paints can, in fact, cause eye strain by reflecting the maximum light and tend to condense steam. Even a pressure cooker can cause this quickly. If you must use gloss paint, try to confine it to one wall and not the wall next to the burner or hot tap.

Balance of temperature

Kitchens are almost invariably hot, but in older houses, they can feel cold and damp. With the typical Indian cooking methods, the atmosphere in a kitchen can be stifling.

The key word in colour schemes for kitchens is cool. So don’t get carried away by the European interior design glossies that show kitchens in pulsating reds or vibrant oranges.

Nonetheless, it is not necessary to paint the room in wishy-washy colours. Pastel shades will only take away the character of the kitchen. Never overuse neutral colours ? they can become depressing. Bold brown, with a tiny mixture of orange will smarten up most kitchens. Browns with some orange or corn colour can create a cosy farmhouse kitchen effect.

A bathroom painted bright red nearly all over the walls would create the appearance of a box. But a white bathroom with one red or orange wall and matching accessories (such as towels and wall cupboard) will be lively and appealing.

A psychedelic colour scheme or lines and colours that are forceful when together are much better used in the bathroom than anywhere else. Each member of the family spends only a couple of hours a day in the bathroom. So instead of the traditional pastel schemes, fun colours can be used. The peaceful relaxation of hot water can be offset by wild colour clashes and even swirling shapes of green, red, orange, pink or yellow.

Dark and dingy

Kitchens that get little light or have dark corners need colour not only for camouflage but to give the room uplift. Brilliant white may seem the obvious answer, but it is an uninspiring one. A simple colour scheme for a kitchen facing north or whose light is shut out by outside structures could be based on tiles with a white background and a yellow motif. Or yellow flowers with green vinery could be used on one wall.

The ceiling and the remaining walls could be painted pale sunshine yellow with the exception of the wall behind the cooker or the sink, which could be covered with white tiles. These will catch light and add to it by reflecting the expanse of yellow. Don’t overdo the sunshine effect by adding yellow floor tiles, for example. A dark grey would be a better foil, adding dignity and depth to the scheme.

The pretty bathroom

For some people, it is fun to experiment with wild colours and designs for the bathroom. Others appreciate a more feminine or restful approach. A delicate floral scheme is always attractive and there are now several ranges of tiles with shower curtains to match. Paints should pick up colours from the tiles. For example, a white background with flowers and vines of green can be repeated in both tiles and curtains. This colouring, or just plain white, can be used on the door and ceiling.

Accessories

The colour of towels and the bath all contribute to the overall d?cor of a bathroom. Towels are available in brilliant patterns or plain colours that tone well with the most up-to-date paint and tile ranges.

For example, an unusual idea would be to tile the walls with glass mosaic in white, powder blue and pale mauve. The floor, door, windows, ceiling and all sanitary fixtures could be in white. The final deft touches could be accessories such as towels and cabinets in blue and purple.

The sauna look

Although neutral tones don’t often make the best scheme for a bathroom, the pine-and-white sauna look is acquiring a great following. It is not difficult to create. Some manufacturers have come out with natural wood-effect wall and floor tiles. The natural wood look can be offset with a white wall and a white or pine ceiling. Real wood Venetian blinds with polyurethane finish would add the other natural colour, and a rush mat complements and completes the theme.

In all colour planning, it is essential not to be afraid of experimenting. Nine times out of 10, the result will be successful.

The author is a senior faculty member at J.D. Birla Institute (Calcutta), where she has been delivering lectures, guiding research and conducting projects in housing and interior design for over 20 years. An interior design consultant, she specialises in ergonomics at home and work. She can be contacted at kusumsmail@yahoo.com