How to Successfully Put Colour Schemes Together (Even If You Think You Don’t Have an Eye for It)
- Hannah Ashe
- Mar 4
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 11
A common phrase I hear as an interior designer is:
“I just don’t have an eye for colour.”
But here’s the truth: you don’t need a magical design gene to create a beautiful colour scheme. You probably just need a process.
If you’re willing to put in a little time and trust your instincts, you absolutely can pull together colours, patterns and materials that feel cohesive, balanced and completely you.
Here’s the four-step method I recommend to my clients who want to try it themselves.
Don't have time to try it yourself? Book a video consultation and I can choose your colours for you.
Or, if you enjoy thoughtful, practical design advice like this, I share more every week in my free newsletter.
Step 1: Order samples of everything you’re drawn to
Before you commit to anything, gather physical samples. Seeing colours and patterns on a screen is helpful, but the aspect and lighting in your room will change the way they appear and you need to test how they feel in your house.
Start by ordering:
Paint sample cards and/or tester pots
Fabric swatches
Wallpaper samples
Flooring samples (tiles/wood/carpet)
Some great places to start:
Fabric and wallpaper samples from Jane Clayton (up to 5 free samples per order)
Paint cards from Coat Paints (peel and stick samples £2 each)
Mini sample pots from Little Greene Paint Company (£5.75 per pot)
Carpet swatches from Alternative Flooring (£1 each)
Sofa fabric samples from Swyft (up to 6 free samples per order)
Not all samples are free, but it is worth spending a little bit on this stage, because if your selection process consists of one trip to B&Q and that's it, there's a strong chance you might regret the choices you've made under the harsh warehouse strip lighting.
Don’t overthink it at this stage. If you’re drawn to a colour or pattern, order it.
Step 2: Lay everything out and play
Once your samples have arrived, find a neutral background - a large table, the floor, a plain rug, or even a white sheet or towel. And then start arranging your samples together.
Move things around. Layer them. Remove one. Add something different.
Ask yourself:
Does this combination feel calm?
Energising?
Sophisticated?
Cosy?
Notice I didn’t mention anything about colour theory. I want you to look for a feeling.
There are no strict rules here. You’re training your eye by observing what works together in real life - texture against texture, matte next to gloss, pattern with plain.
This is how I work during in-person Design Spark consultations where I bring a wide variety of samples and encourage clients to play. I love to see what they're drawn to and what they really don't like. This significantly informs the design process.
Step 3: Narrow it down (and live with it for a bit)
Once you’ve found a few combinations that feel right, start editing them further.
Be ruthless and only keep the groupings that make you feel how you want to feel in that space and seem appropriate for the room you're creating the design for.
Now take those shortlisted samples and place them in the actual room you’re decorating.
Lean them against the wall. Tape paint cards up. Drape fabric over a chair.
And then… leave them there and live with them for a few days. You want to see how they look in early morning light, grey afternoon light and in the evening when you turn on the lamps. Colour is never static. It shifts throughout the day and what looks perfect at 11am might feel very different at 8pm.
This step alone really can prevent making expensive mistakes, but yes, it does require patience and time!
Step 4: Revisit and trust your gut
After a few days, it's a good idea to come back with fresh eyes and try to notice your immediate reaction.
Do you still love it? Does anything jar? Does one sample suddenly not feel quite right anymore?
By now, you’ll know more strongly how you feel and be able to make a much better informed purchase than if you'd rushed to B&Q and picked up the second colour you looked at. You won't be panicking or stressing, you will be calmly making an informed decision for your home.
My final bit of advice here is to commit. If you're confident these combinations work, don't be afraid to go for it. Time and time again I hear people say they 'almost' went for a bolder/braver/brighter colour, but changed their mind at the last minute because someone said "but won't it feel dark?".
Bold colours do not make small rooms feel darker, I repeat, bold colours do not make small rooms feel darker. But that's a discussion for another day!
Why this process works (even if you think you’re "bad at colour”)
If you follow my process, you will be helping yourself by:
Removing pressure (assuming you begin early enough and well before contractors ask for choices!)
Introducing real materials (not just Pinterest screenshots)
Allowing time for emotional response
Testing combinations in natural light
Editing your choices thoughtfully and intentionally
It’s methodical, but also highly intuitive. And that’s exactly how strong colour schemes are built.
But what if this feels like too much work?
Let’s be honest - ordering samples, laying them out, testing them for days…
It does take time.
If you love the idea of a beautifully cohesive home but:
You’re busy
You feel overwhelmed by choice
You don’t trust yourself
Or you simply don’t have the patience
That's ok. And that’s where I can help you!
As an interior designer, I do this process for you. I have a huge bank of samples that I bring to your home. I encourage you to play, first and foremost, and then I refine, edit, balance tones, layer texture and ensure everything works not just individually, but as a complete scheme tailored to your home and lifestyle.
This takes away the stress for you. You avoid costly mistakes. And you gain a space that feels cohesive and thoughtful.
Final Thoughts: You probably do have an eye for it
Most people don’t lack taste, they are just lacking a process.
If you follow these four steps, you’ll be surprised at what you can create. I'm passionate about encouraging creativity and we all have some of that inside us!
And if halfway through you decide you’d rather hand it over to a professional?
You know where to find me.
Or, if you're keen to gather ideas and do the work yourself, you can join my free weekly newsletter here. I share tips and tricks as well as an insight behind the scenes of the life of an interior designer.
Hannah Ashe is the founder of Hannah Ashe Interior Design, helping homeowners across London and Surrey create calm, characterful spaces with confidence. With a background in music and years of hands-on renovation experience, she approaches interiors with an intuitive sense of balance, rhythm and flow.
She offers in-person and virtual consultations, and will be at the Ideal Home Show on 16th and 17th April for bookable one-to-one sessions.
