Mix & match

Some colours shouldn't work together, but they just do! Try these unexpected combinations to level up your home decor.

- AMY LEHNER

Traditional interior decorating wisdom often recommends sticking to complementary colours - that is, hues opposite each other on the colour wheel. For example, red and green are complementary, as are yellow and purple, and blue and orange. This isn't a bad idea, but sometimes you feel like going wild and mixing and matching without having to fit into boxes!

PEACH & BLUE

Peach Fuzz was Pantone's Color of the Year for 2024, but is it for you? A soft shade of peach may seem a little twee (the colour of grandmother's lounges and floral fabric), but it can be impressively modern. Instead of pairing it with other pale hues, add a jolt of emerald green or navy blue. This often works best with peach walls and green or blue accessories. Think a bold blue headboard or green cushions. Admittedly, this can be a tricky combo to style. Try adding matching accents throughout the room to give the scheme cohesion.

CHARCOAL AS A NEUTRAL

Pale grey walls are everywhere! We’ve learnt that white is boring, so shades of dove and mist have become the new neutral. But what about slate? This dark, moody shade of grey needn’t be confined to accents alone. Put it front and centre by painting a feature wall (or all the walls!). This gives you a surprisingly versatile background to pair with colour furniture and textiles. Jewel tones work particularly well as their brilliance is really contrasted.

RED, WHITE & BLUE