This weekend I visited Dunnes Stores which is a local Department Store here in Ireland. I hadn't visited in a long time and I was very impressed with their homewares. Over the past few years they have introduced new ranges including Paul Costelloe, Consider by Helen James and Carolyn Donnelly. It is more expensive but the items are definitely higher quality.

From looking at the above images, it is probably obvious that my favourite is the Carolyn Donnelly range as it full of pastels and floral patterns, all so bright and cheerful.

{All images from Dunnes Stores}

{Dulux}

"A fundamental Truth: Man Needs Colour"

This quote by the architect Le Corbusier states the need for colour in our lives. Colour affects our interpretation of things. According to Mindini (2001:238)  'Colour is among the first illusions through which man perceives the world'. Colour is manufactured in our minds. Our eyes and brain perceive colour. Colours are experiences and can excite, scare or impress people and it can create a sense of warmth or cold. 'People react to colour therefore how they perceive colour will influence their reactions to a place' (Porter: 1982). This may also apply to everyday items like cothes, furniture and buildings - people react to the colour of various items.

{Colours in the sky @ home}

{Dulux}

Under certain rules our visual interpretation accepts some colours such as harmonised or contrasted colours. Colours play an important role in all aspects of design and can create focal points in our lives and landscape. The use of colour can create distinctive characters in our dress sense, our homes, landscapes and townscapes.

Sir Isaac Newton developed the colour wheel in the early 1700's and it has been used ever since as the foundation of colour theory. The basic colour wheel starts with three primary colours- red, yellow and blue. Different systems of colour have been developed such as the Munsell and Ostwald Colour Systems.

{COLOURLovers}

The colour wheel provides such a variety and choice of colours that considerable thought can be taken when deciding on which colour to use. There are certain rules with regard to colours. There are a number of different types of colour schemes, including monochromatic, complementary, triadic and adjacent schemes. These contain combinations of colours which are generally accepted by people. Monochromatic colour schemes use one colour or hue, containing different values of that colour. As Gloug states 'colours of the same hue are harmonious'. Complementary colour schemes employ colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel. Triadic colour schemes involve three colours that are equidistant on the wheel. Adjacent colour schemes employ colours that are next to, or near each other on the colour wheel.

{Page thinker}

{Page thinker}

So when you are spring cleaning and redecorating why not get out a colour wheel and come up with some nice colour schemes you like :) All the colours below are from Dulux, for me they are lovely and fresh just the right colours for Spring time :)

* All interior images above are from Dulux Paints Ireland