In this chapter you will appreciate the value of a swatch board, and learn the best way to make a board for your room.
You have decided on your style, colours paint, carpet, tiles and furniture, well done!
But will it all work together?
Swatchboards are samples of fabric and paint, and photos of furniture that you are thinking of using. They are a vital tool in putting a room together, and will show you how your colours are working together.
Always ask for fabric samples when you are out shopping, make sure they are labelled so you can find them again.
Buy a piece of stiff card, I like to work large with AI or. It is often useful to make a second, smaller A4, or smaller size to keep in the car or handbag, then you can match other things to it instead of trying to remember a colour in your head.
The samples need to be in ratio of how you will be using them in your room. The largest sample will probably be your wall paint. Ask for a brush out, or buy a test pot and paint an A4 sample to put on your card. Make smaller samples for your feature wall, paint for window frames or furniture colours.
The hardest part of putting a room together is usually the carpet- there is not the range of colours that you have with paints. Make this decision first, then your fabrics, and last of all your paints, as you will always be able to match the paint, even if it has to be mixed specially.
Get samples of the fabrics you like.
Narrow your choices down and lie them on the card. Do they work well together? Make some changes and decide if that’s an improvement.
Place them neatly on the card, colours touching as they would in the room.
When you are confident of your choice, stick it onto your swatch board with a repostionable glue, that way you can pull it off if you change your mind. Label the sample, colour, range, make, and price, and where you found them.
This would be a good time to look at your costs and budget. You don’t want to fall in love with a scheme that you can’t afford. Look at ‘Making the Money go Furtherif you are way over budget!
You might want to make a couple of boards with different colourways.
Always look at them under daylight and artificial lighting, colours change at night!
When you have found the carpet, curtain and upholstery fabrics you like, borrow large samples from the shop. If that is not possible, buy a metre. It is better to spend a few dollars than make an expensive mistake. You can always use the material for cushions or tie-backs, so it will not be wasted.
Now, does everything work together? Do you need a different shade. or even colour of paint?
Does the curtain fabric work with the settee fabric? It’s good to get second opinion from friends, but it is your home, and you are the one who will live with it.
Most of all what does your partner and family think? Are you able to work out a compromise? Ladies please don’t inflict frilly pillows and lace on a man!