Grey curtains fitted with pink and blue florally patterned roman blinds in a living room decorated with pink and navy blue walls

Colour clash

Interior designer Sophie Robinson takes on the Hillarys room design challenge

Trend and Styling Expert

Published: 09/07/2019

Updated: 08/02/2022

If you want to banish beige and knock- out neutrals in your home, you might just be ready to embrace the Colour Clash look.

Together with our style partner Sophie Robinson, we share the key design elements of this joyful look to help you design your own unique take on this vibrant trend.

sophie robinson colour clash fabric close- up

Blend vivid colour and pattern

To really get to grips with this trend you need to be daring with colour and pattern. In Sophie’s roomset, the vibrant floral Caprice Paradise Roman blind seems an unlikely partner for the serious geometric of the Eclipse Denim But look again and you’ll see that the curtains pick up the subtle blue accent in the Roman blind, while both the curtains and blind share a similar creamy background shade. In fact, look closely and you’ll see that Sophie’s entire palette is made up of just three key colours – blue, pink and yellow.

More and more

Pattern extremes are key to this playful look and help to create the high impact, high-energy feel that can transform an ordinary interior an extraordinary space to live in. Be confident in your choices and if you’re unsure whether a fabric will work at your window, consider living with a design on a smaller scale before you take the plunge.

Cushion covers are a really fun, cosy and affordable way to experiment with colour and pattern.

#IWANTTHATSTYLE

Sophie’s fabric choices

At the window, Sophie was instantly drawn to the vibrant watercolour florals of Caprice Paradise for her Roman blind, which she teamed with strong geometric Eclipse Denim curtains. The finished look is wonderfully original, eclectic and totally unexpected.

Eclipse Denim

Caprice Paradise

Pink roman blinds fitted to rectangular windows along with curtains in a living room decorated in a multi coloured style

Create a feeling of organic design

Sophie likes to feel that a room has been curated over time, and this eclectic feel is easier to pull off than you think. Remember, as long as your pieces share some common elements, different styles, textures and genres will rub along together very nicely. Here a traditional nursing chair and period fireplace are teamed with a contemporary sofa and modern geometric rug. The fabrics that Sophie has chosen for her cushion covers help to bring all these elements together for a carefully crafted look that seems casually careless.

If you are a lover of high impact interiors, then you need to look at colour schemes that add drama. By clashing contrasting colours you quickly create that high-energy appeal that I really love.

sophie robinson colour clash accessories cameo

Make it individual

Don’t be afraid to add and subtract accessories whenever you find a new favourite. Sophie’s roomset is a perfect example of how disparate styles can work together beautifully. The retro chandelier and floorlamp sit happily alongside modern art and an original vintage painting – all finished with a cottage garden floral display. Sophie has cleverly placed most of her accessories against the dark navy wall. This deep blue shade provides the perfect backdrop for the brightly coloured accessories.