Christine D'Ornano's home in Elle Decoration: colourful chairs, art and accessories lift neutral backdrop
A: Interior designer Jessica Buckley says:
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colour, but if you're a little hesitant at first then I'd recommend you start by adding colour to a neutral backdrop. A small dash of bright colour in a neutral room can go a long way and you can have fun mixing and matching (or mis-matching) colours and patterns in smaller doses until your confidence builds.
I suggest starting with cushions, lampshades and decorative vases; they are relatively inexpensive items which you can easily change if you tire of them (or return to the shops if they're not quite right). Having said that, paint is relatively inexpensive and a sure fire way to transform a room. If you don't like the result then it can easily be repainted so if you're tempted to go bold with a paint colour then I would urge you to try it. Your confidence with colour will soon start to grow.
