Using colours and patterns to communicate femininity

It is no secret that women are often stereotyped as the ones that are more excited about things to do with interiors. I once heard a joke about a certain man who became very frustrated because his wife could never settle down- each year she went on a shopping spree for new curtains and furniture! Whether you are a lady living on your own, moving in with a bunch of girlfriends or are considering a new look for your daughter’s room, this article is for you. Read on to discover how you can celebrate your feminine personality through your living environment. Use colours to showcase your femininity If you are decorating for a feminine touch, colour can be used as a main element to communicate a desired theme and mood. Too often I find that people are happy using basic colours that are stereotyped as feminine. I mean don’t get me wrong, on the rare occasion I’m grateful for colour stereotypes that are associated with gender. Take for example the colour pink and babies. A mother will never dress her baby boy a pink so when I come across a baby for the first time and I’m not sure if it’s a girl or a boy, the pink outfit spares me the embarrassment of referring to the baby as a ‘he’ rather than a ‘she’! However when it comes to interiors the colour options for women are endless. Apart from pink, there are so many available choices. In the common areas of a house, Pale colours or pastel colours usually work effectively to portray a feminine touch. Alternatively if you don’t want to be over feminine, incorporate unisex colours into the pallet such as browns, greens or reds. Many girls go through a ‘pink stage’, therefore pink may be an appropriate colour to use if you are planning on decorating your daughter’s room, however make sure it’s what she wants! Colours chosen in consultation with your daughter will encourage her to take a greater interest in her room. For a stimulating colour scheme consider combining pink with colours like yellow, ivory, orange and green. Create interest and diversity with Patterns Do you want to create a more adventurous look? You can achieve this by involving patterns in your décor. Patterns are effective for creating a focal point in a room, or to produce a theme to work with. A pattern is formed from an image or a series of diverse images that are repeated to form a sequence. Patterns can be used on a large or small scale, in the form stripes or geometric shapes. Patterns can go a long way when it comes to creating a feminine atmosphere and provide the opportunity to inject interest, diversity and character into any living space. So how does one work with patterns? Firstly avoid using more than three patterns in one space to avoid the risk of overdoing it. The secret to mixing patterns is in balance. The patterns and the room you are working on should work together, so always consider the shape of the room and elements within it before you incorporate patterns. Big rooms work better with large patterns, while small rooms go with smaller more intricate patterns. Remember not to overcrowd the room with patterns, rather be subtle in your approach. Mixing patterns that are all the same scale or in the same colour tone will end up looking busy and awkward; imagine a floral sofa with floral pillows and a floral curtain, not exactly flattering is it? Neither is a bedroom, with stripes on the bed cover, pillows walls and curtains. So resist any temptation to use patterns in excess. Sometimes choosing a pattern can happen naturally. If you find furnishing with a certain pattern that you are drawn to, you can make it the basis for an entire room or home. From this pattern you will be able to determine one or two other complimentary patterns to use. Also the colours within the pattern will let you know what colours to use throughout the rest of the space. Patterns and colours have no limit; you can use them on everything in a room, from the walls and furnishings to floors and accessories. When applied in the right doses your home will radiate and have a cohesive look. ms.efuahagan@gmail.com