Get your décor dilemmas solved by our resident interiors expert.
Bon Ton tiles in green
Q; My bedroom has one of those tiny windows that is completely off centre and I’ve built a false wall to cover it. Is it okay to paint the MDF a deep passionate red? I love red. My bedcover is red, cushions are red, the candlesticks are red… there are red touches everywhere. I’ve heard red isn’t a good choice in a bedroom because it’s considered an angry colour, but I find it a passionate colour so I’m confused. I don’t want fire engine red, but a deep red… can you help?
A; Poor colour red! It gets a hard time yet it’s probably the most common accent colour out there. You’re right, and I hear people saying no to red in the bedroom all the time. In our last house we had a very bright, blue-based red and we loved it. It comes down to what you want, and if you can live with it.
The psychology of red says it’s the colour of passion and energy (kind of perfect for a boudoir). It’s a colour that excites emotion and motivates us to take action.
On the positive end it’s very seductive and on the negative end it can be a colour associated with aggression. When choosing red I would be aware of the base colour that is used, as that will change the feeling of the colour.
Listen to your emotional response to the colour and work with the one that sings to you. Make sure all the red accents you use are in the same tone of red – that’s where people can get undone. Remember that all reds are not created equal!
Q; I have a style dilemma and am hoping for your input. We are rebuilding our earthquake-damaged house and I need tiles for the children’s bathroom. I am totally in love with Bon Ton tiles and I was originally thinking of getting a pack of each colour (there are 10) and mixing them up on the floor. Now I’m having a moment of doubt. Do you think it would look okay all mixed up, or will it look a bit ‘crazy rainbow’? Is it better to stick with a couple of colours? Each colourway comes in a pack of nine, with mixed patterns.
A; I’m torn with this one. My first reaction was to go nuts and use all the colours with the white base. My second reaction was ‘wait up, let’s not go past how cool the mix of patterns are together and would using all the colours confuse the design situation?’
Without seeing your overall design I would encourage you to search for images of ‘patterned tiles’ online or on Pinterest and see what is sitting best for you. Specifically Google the brand name (Bon Ton available from SpazioCasa) of these tiles, which are to die for by the way, and see what others have done before you. Also consider your colour palette carefully.
If you use all the colours then everything else needs to be pared back and neutral white, including tapware. That might change your design plan, as some hardware may not come in white. A middle ground would be to use two colourways to mark different areas of the bathroom.
Another step is to talk to your tiler, ensuring they are 100 percent on board with your decision. Tilers are master craftsmen and you will need them behind your design vision or it will never be pulled off. We have just done our latest bathroom and I am more than a little jealous that I didn’t specify these tiles! Go you and go your new bathroom!
Words by: Alex Fulton
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