It was the moment we had all been waiting for! Well, it was at least for those of us who are interior/home design enthusiasts. Pantone announced the colour of the year for 2018 back in December and it is just a-maz-ing! Obviously, the next step is planning, redecorating and updating our homes to match this wonderful, cosmic shade, so here are some ways to incorporate Ultra Violet into your home this year.

Words: Victoria Lim

First, a few words about the shade – to quote experts from the Pantone Color Institute “a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.” So let’s talk about ways to intertwine this futuristic shade into our homes and combine it with decorative items from all over the world.

Adding decorative accents:
Naturally, if you are happy with the way your home looks, think about simply adding more violet accents. Whether you place a vase with gorgeous lilacs on your coffee table or add a few purplish pillows on your chairs or sofas you won’t be mistaken. Not only it will refresh the look of your interior (especially if it is in contrast to your walls and other furniture) but also it will give your home a more elegant look.

A great option is using antiques from your family home or the ones your grandparents don’t need. It is all about creating a moody atmosphere with a touch of romance so it is great to fill your home with meaningful items important for your own story. Also, there is something special about incorporating specific native symbols as a part of your home decor such as antique Persian rugs or French tapestries.

Opting for something completely different:
If you are thinking about remodelling your home, try something completely different. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Australian interior design and researched the ways to introduce it in my home, so in the light of recent research here’s how you can intertwine the Aussie home design with a touch of ultra violet shade.

At first glance, Australian style appears effortless, but you will soon realize that it is not easy to achieve the sophisticated simplicity that mimics the native look. Greg Natale, Australian interior designer opts for creating a sophisticated moody atmosphere in his design projects using bold, saturated colours in contrast to “sultry mauve, burgundy, and gilt accents”.  Imagine how good this style would look in your home with bold violet colour!

One things for sure, minimizing the amount of furniture, adding more deep colours and rich patterns in combination with rustic metallic decorative items is the 2018 trend! Use less furniture but bigger pieces to achieve moody decor and good energy flow.

Since the trends are constantly changing, be smart and don’t get rid of your excessive belongings but store your possessions to avoid spending more money later on if you happen to change your mind and decide to redecorate.

Services like self-storage in Perth make it easy and fast to safely put away your belongings for future remodelling and redecorating projects. Take it from me, as someone who has the urge to change something about the look of my home at least twice a year!

Choosing deep colours:
When it comes to wall paint, the options are truly endless. You can play with various shades; put an accent on the biggest wall by painting it in the ultra violet shade, and the rest of the walls in similar tones. That way you will get a touch of romantic atmosphere in your place, particularly if your furniture is a shade of blue-like Niagara, or in dark coloured woods. Adding flowery patterned pillows and a plain rug in rose tone will add up to the whole romantic feeling. Don’t forget to decorate with colourful flowers.

Making a contrast – making a statement:
To emphasize deep colours like the ultra violet add shiny, reflective textures. Think about adding vintage warm copper or bronze metallic bowls, rustic candleholders or other antiques and flea market finds. It’s all about playing with textures that reflect the light. Dim lights will also contribute to the dark, moody atmosphere.

Play with mixing materials such as dark-coloured wood with velvet and leather or saturated, rich coloured fabrics. Velvet has always been associated with nobility because of its texture, softness, and appearance. Adding a purple velvet sofa will make any room look elegant and luxurious.

There is an interesting anecdote that Queen Elizabeth I prohibited purple colour in clothing for everyone who is not a member of the Royal family since the dye was difficult to produce and rare to find. That is why it is connected with high society. If you are trying to achieve that royal home look then the deep coloured velvet furniture in combination with dark wood credenza and an antique coffee table is the perfect choice for your home.

These were just a few examples of how you can combine Pantone’s Ultra Violet colour shade with decorative items to achieve a unique look for your home. You can take inspiration from some of these examples to develop your own style and decorate your piece of heaven. Remember, it is all about being bold and combining different textures; metal, leather, rich fabrics, saturated colours, gilt accents and flowery patterns to create your own romantic, moody vibe.