How to use cream in interior design
Friday, 9 September 2011 10:03 AM
Cream conjures up warmth, luxury and glamour. The Hollywood sets of the '30s – cream decor and furnishings, chrome and mirrors – still ring true in today's interiors.
It is a classic, conservative, safe and neutral colour that has a wide appeal. The colour epitomises sun, sand and dried grasses.
Commonly used in kitchens and small areas, cream needs wood tones to give definition.
Bathrooms lend themselves particularly well to cream wall tiles. Add a thin black stripe of black tiles at 120cm above the floor and install a white bath and basin and clean-lined chrome taps for a timeless, stylish finish.
In the living areas, cream needs to be shaded: I'd recommend having lighter walls with doors and window frames one or two shades darker. Complement with a cream bamboo mix rug on a wooden floor, then add tonal sofas and chairs.
Soften the look with scatter cushions and throws, which you should change with the seasons: think glazed linen, satins and lace in the spring and summer, and faux fur and angora in the winter.
Paint bedroom walls with a warm, almost chalky cream, and furnish the room with antique or contemporary wood pieces. This will create an atmosphere of rest and relaxation.
Eliska Sapera is an interior designer with over 25 years’ experience and a gorgeous shop named Eliská. She is former exhibition director of the British Interior Design Association (now known as the British Institute of Interior Design).
Main image credit: Fireplace, cabinet and shelves, Dulux Woodsheen in Dark Walnut; window, Dulux Woodsheen in Church Oak; walls, Dulux matt emulsion in Egyptian Cotton and Barely White. Dulux Woodsheen is available from B&Q and costs £5.99 for 250ml/£13.99 for 750ml; Dulux matt emulsion is available from B&Q, Homebase and selected independent stores and costs £18.99 for 2.5L.
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