Ten ways to choose a colour scheme

A mood board is a great way to collect, collate and share your ideas. Flick through magazines and catalogues to collect any images that spark the imagination. You may also find it helpful to collect fabric, paint and wallpaper samples from your local home suppliers.

If you prefer to do your research online, try a digital mood board like Pinterest (pinterest.com). It’s a great bookmarking tool that allows you to store and share images and ideas online.

Spend some time looking at the clothes that you wear – this should give you a good indication of which colours you tend to lean towards. Knowing what colours you look good and feel comfortable in is a great place to start.

Nature is a wonderful source of effortless colour combinations. Take a walk on the wild side and get amongst the great outdoors. Which landscapes make you feel most alive?

If you’re decorating a room from scratch, but are keeping an existing element, such as a sofa or curtains, then use this as a starting point for your colour scheme.

We all love to peek inside other people’s houses. Why not take inspiration from spaces that you love, be it a friend’s house, your favourite café, or a hotel you loved staying in?

Take note of your most treasured homewares. Have you got a cushion or bedspread that instantly adds style to any space? Pick out colours from a favourite patterned accessory, then include the item in your finished room for a coordinated, personal look.

From the comfort of your armchair, flick through photos from your favourite holiday to remind you of the striking colours that you loved from your trip.

If you fancy painting a whole room in different tones of one hue, the Dulux colour swatch cards are a great source of inspiration. They each feature six tones of one colour, so you can mix and match to your heart’s content.

Art can also inspire stunning colour schemes. Select a few key colours from a painting you love for a colour scheme that’s guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing.

There are no rules when it comes to choosing colour combinations. As long as you love it, it’s right. So be bold and follow your instincts – go on, we dare you!