FRANK AND MINNIE

I was asked by Frank and Minnie interior designs to be their Friday Feature and answer some questions about colour. Obviously I said yes! Colour is my one of my favorite subjects!

Here’s the article, enjoy the read.

“For this week’s Friday Feature I caught up with style coach Adele Mitchell. She’s another one who believes in the power of the right colour choice!!

Colour psychologist Angela Wright says of colour “we are constantly under its influence, whether we know it or not, and we do not have to have our eyes open to experience it”.

Colour can affect everything from our mood, our confidence levels through to our decision making processes. It can be an inspiration, bring an element of calm or even get us riled up! Whilst it’s apparently not true that bulls hate red, we humans can certainly have a strong reaction to certain colours. That’s why it’s so important to get the colour choices in your home right.

I asked Adele what she tells her clients about the impact that colour can have? “Colour can lift your mood” she says. “It can make the difference from feeling happy and confident to drained and timid.
I tell my clients that by choosing to wear the colours that compliment and harmonise with their hair, skin and eye colour they will look youthful and lifted, whereas wearing the wrong colours can be very ageing.” And whilst choosing the right colour for your bathroom can’t necessarily make you look ten years younger, it can certainly put you in a more positive frame of mind to start the day!

Adele continued “YOU should wear colours NOT the colour wear you. Regardless of the colour analysis guidelines if you love a colour and it makes you feel great then wear it!” A great philosophy for home decorating too.

We all have a preferred colour palette whether we’ve analysed it or not – mine you will be surprised to learn tends towards the richer, deeper colours! Adele on the other hand loves soft, warm colours and tends to wear a lot of muted, earthy shades. This means she’s most comfortable working with clients who have a similar colour palette, however she absolutely loves it when a client has an opposite colour palette to her, and she gets to play with bright contrasting colours. She says “It’s fabulous to see how a client’s confidence changes and they get excited about clothes again after a consultation. I love the effect colours have on you but more than that my passion is helping women feel amazing about themselves and just wearing a different colour can do that!” Just how I feel when someone tells me about a paint colour or a fabric that brings them joy!!

I asked Adele, as we are coming into summer, which colours should we be including in our wardrobe and interiors? She advises that the colours seen in the New York and London fashion weeks are what generates the Pantone seasonal colour palettes. Spring/summer 2020 includes a fabulous mix of colours described as ‘friendly and relatable’. “I think similarly to interiors it’s a mix of traditional heritage colours with youthful brights that we are seeing in our stores.” and that certainly chimes with many of the predictions we’ve seen for 2020 interiors.

So which colours? Flame scarlet, classic blue and rich chive pair beautifully with reliably chic faded denim, feminine coral pink, cool aqua Biscay green and warm saffron yellow. Adele also predicts that white will be seen everywhere from shades of subtle mushroom to bright white, and to look out for textures of white lace for the perfect summer dress. That’s got me thinking about denim cushions mixed with coral pink throws!

I finished by asking where Adele stands on walk in wardrobes – good idea or a place where clothes get lost forever? “I think clothes can get lost forever regardless of the size of your wardrobe. Most of us would own up to having a wardrobe full of clothes with yet nothing to wear!” She advises that clarity is key – what you can’t see you won’t wear. If space is what you need to have organisation in your wardrobe then she’s all for it but Adele also suggests that once you know your colours, styles and how to dress your body shape, you literally need half the amount in your wardrobe, you wear it all and look and feel amazing every day. And for her clothes? “Personally a walk in wardrobe would certainly be on my wish list – in fact bring on a dressing room!”

It was great chatting about colours with Adele. It really reinforced how important making the right colour choices, for you and for your home is, how once you know the colours that inspire you and your family, including them in your decorating plans can help you find a scheme that really works for your home.

You can find out more about Adele’s work by visiting Adele – Style Coach. Now I’m off to cut up a pair of jeans and make it into a cushion….but what shall I wear…..?!?

Happy Friday everyone.”

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