JOIN USHomeowners are always on the lookout for new ways to spruce up their home. If you are looking to keep up with the latest trends in interiors, then here's something that will interest you. Imagine jewel tones moving from your trinket box to the interiors of your home. The attractive hues of rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and amethysts have inspired shades of colours for walls and decor elements for a while now.
"Jewel accents are basically the usage of colour derived from gemstones and are associated with a luxurious style of interiors," says Sandesh Dhanraj, founder and CEO, Noah Interiors.
He adds, "Rich colours like turquoise, sapphire blue, emerald green, true pink can be a part of any style of home decor. These opulent colours are a great way to integrate a hint of glamour to the room. Bringing in only accessories or a single piece of furniture or any upholstery with these tones makes for a versatile styling statement. The setup can be worked on for the entire home from the kitchen to the bathroom. Warm and rich jewel tones when combined with soft lighting ensures effortless elegance."
Bring in the opulence
Painting is the easiest way to add jewel tones to your home. "Bold shades such as crimson or olive as well as luxurious shades of wallpaper on one of the walls can be a great way to introduce jewel-themed tones to your home," says Alok Duggal, COO and founder, Homestudio.com.
In fact, experts will tell you how various shades can bring about a range of interesting expressions for your home. "It is important to ensure that the colours don't clash. Combine something dark with a basic colour like beige. If you choose furniture that has jewel tones, then make sure your walls and the rest of the decor are either cream or of a neutral shade," Alok advises.
Choosing the right shade
For instance, you could use a bold shade like emerald and pair it with white or black furniture. Or, you could bring in Victorian-style decor pieces in the shade. If you're looking to bring some energy into your home, then 'daring pink' is something to go for. It works well with antique furniture, is a powerful background tone, and can create quite an impact with regard to the overall look of the space. Turquoise can enliven smaller spaces like your walk-in closet or home office. It is good for rooms that do not get natural light to brighten things up.
Investing in furniture and accessories in neutral shades of browns, yellows and creams will be the ideal combination. The colour red is also a good choice, as it is considered bold and traditional. Set against woods as well as gold-edged accessories will make for an ideal combination. Also, 'sapphire blue' works well with contrasts - deep blue walls with grey furnishing or dull yellow are ideal combinations.
Keep it minimal
"In fact, an addition of a blue wall to the room creates a real sensation," feels Sandesh. "A splash of sapphire on a wall can instantly change the mood. Consider painting an accent wall, or opt for an awesome wallpaper print. Creating the perfect featured wall with one colour ensures the other accents of the room pop. A mixture of matte and shiny fabrics - such as velvet, silk on upholstery work well with the jewel tones. Lavish fabrics enhance rich jewel tones, promptly adding a touch of elegance. Velvet wallpaper also adds a cheerful and royal element to the room."
With this trend fast becoming mainstream, it is important that one understands the maintenance involved in looking for a home with jewel-toned interiors. Alok says, ''Darker shades are more difficult to maintain when it comes to furniture but it's easier with furnishing. And if you have chosen to go with a modular kitchen, then the sheer variety of easy-to-maintain finishes will make things easier for you, since they come in gloss finishes."
Jewel-themed interiors are quite the rage now and are among the easiest in terms of concepts to implement. If you are looking for a change, perhaps your inspiration lies right in the colours of your jewellery box.