The colour scheme is often the first thing people notice when they walk into a room, so your choice of colours is probably the most important decision you will make when decorating your home. Getting it wrong can leave a room looking bland and insipid,or overpowering and garish; getting it right is both exciting and rewarding.

In The Colour Design Source Book, Caroline CliftonMogg, a leading authority on interior design, guides you expertly through every aspect of using colour in the home, from choosing the right scheme for each room to adding the perfect finishing touches.

The first hurdle is finding inspiration, so advice is offered on applying the lessons of nature, art and history to your home. Caroline then explores colour in depth, delving into the nuances of the interior decorator's palette. All colours have hidden subtleties and resonances - think of the rich brown of tanned leather, the grey-blue of a frozen pond, the faded purple of old velvet - and, depending on how they are used, they can make or break a room's design.No colour works in isolation, so perceptive colour combining is the only way to achieve a successful design scheme. The Colour Design Source Book shows a wide range of classic and unusual looks - sometimes subtle and chic, sometimes bold and humorous, but always stylish and inspirational. The book also offers advice on using colours to create the atmosphere you want or to affect the shape or size of a room. A frosty living room becomes a haven of comfort, an oppressive hallway becomes a welcoming entrance;and a dreary kitchen becomes the hear of the home.Finally, the mysteries of professional colour finishes are unravelled, from selecting the right paints for the job to applying decorative finishes, or even using textiles to cover your walls.

So, whether you are planning a whole new look or simply updating and enhancing an existing scheme,The Colour Design Source Book shows how to make colours really work for you in every room of your home.

INTRODUCTION

COLOUR INSPIRATIONS

Understanding colour

Colour through history

COLOURS EXPLORED

Whites, greys and blacks

Creams and browns

Reds, pinks and purples

Blues: azure to aqua

Greens: emerald to lime

Yellows, oranges and golds

COLOURS IN COMBINATION

A lesson in tone

Gaelic blend

Nearly neutrals

Harmonious hues

Complementary clash

Twentieth-century tone

Autumn light

Soft simplicity

Ice-cream cool

Sharp contrast

COLOURS TO TRANSFORM

Colour zoning

Making shapes

Creating atmosphere

COLOUR TECHNIQUES

Unusual finishes

Washes and glazes

Decorative pai ntwork

SUPPLIERS

BUSINESS CREDITS

PICTURE CREDITS

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS