How to bring colour back into your life (on a budget)

 I saw a post on Instagram the other day and I've seen some more similar recently too, it was comparison pictures of present day compared to the 60's, 70's, 80's. Showing how much more colourful everything was back then compared to all the muted tones we have today.

It really got me thinking that it's so true. It really does seem like the colours are being faded out of our life.

I've realised I'm always trying to find little ways to bring more colour back in, because it genuinely makes a difference. Colour lifts your mood, adds personality and just makes life feel a bit more cheerful, don't you think?

Of course colour hasn't disappeared completely. But when you look around at buildings, cars, even the way interiors are styled and shown to us it's all very grey, beige and toned down.

Don't get me wrong I do love a neutral colour palette. There are definitely times it works beautifully. My house for example does have white walls throughout and I can see now how I've gradually been influenced (without even realising it) to make everything more neutral.

But crumbs, it is a bit much. We need more colour back in our lives. More personality. More fun.

So with this in mind, I've put together some simple, affordable ways we can all start bringing that colour and a little bit of joy back into our homes and everyday lives.

~ Start small ~ Little pops of colour makes a big difference ~

When it comes to adding more colour into your life you don't need a grand design like painting your whole room bright orange ~ but love that if that's your vibe! ~

Simple small touches do make a big difference.

Now I'm talking about those little affordable home nick-nack's we're always drawn to in like B&M and Primark home.

Instead of playing it safe with neutral colours look for the bright pops that you're drawn too.

Simple things like a bright tea-towel for the kitchen, a colourful mug for your morning cup of tea, a patterned cushion. Or if you're like me with a bunch of fur-babies, their toys and accessories are always colourful and certainly add pops of colour around the place!

Then to build on this still keeping things purse-friendly and not going too ott, a colourful pot plant for your kitchen table or window sill and even making your fruit bowl full of colourful fruit too, then it's practical because it's feeding you healthy things and is giving you that pop of colour as well.

I really think adding touches of colour to the home can be a really easy and instant way of adding colour back in, without doing a full interior design make-over project and breaking the bank.

~ Then there's our clothes ~

I'm always thinking I need more colourful items in my wardrobe but I always worry 'oh what will they go with', 'will they suit me'?

But yes they will go with a lot more then you think, and generally yes, colour suits everyone!

When you're next out shopping try not to default to the blacks, navy's and white's, try to go for something with more colour too, just try it on and I reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Accessories are a great place to start, a brightly coloured scarf or even some colourful dress jewellery.

Of course a bright bag will instantly lift a more neutral outfit too. I love yellow bags in the summer.

A pair of colourful shoes can add some instant personality to your outfit too.

Keeping it even simpler just painting you nails a bright colour gives you that instant mood lift. I always paint my toes a bright coral. I love having that pop of colour even if they're hidden under socks.

I bought a couple of lovely tops yesterday from H&M which I will link below for you. One was a white tee - yes a white tee, but it has the most beautiful cobalt blue within the motif on the front and it really does scream fun, summer, happy and just overall cheerful vibes. The second top I bought was again cream, but it has lovely purple stripes running through which is a lot more subtle, but gives that interest and personality that we need more of. T-shirt link Top link (not affiliate links)

I'm not suggesting we all run around with bright red trousers on, bright green tops and yellow shoes (maybe one day, haha), we can still keep our basic neutral colour tones, but by adding in colour here and there really starts to not only give your outfit a little bit more interest and personality, but it is great for the soul to lift our mood too.

As you can see from my recent purchases, I'm really going to start picking items that have colour within them more. And even though they have colour to them, you know they will go with so much. It's just a matter of trying things on, mixing and matching to find out what works. Which is the beauty of fashion after all isn't it.

Also, when I next need to buy some bits for the home, I'm definitely picking something brightly coloured, something that's fun and interesting. 

~ A little colour from the garden ~

I touched on earlier about adding a pot plant to your kitchen to bring the colour into your home. But there's also something warming about looking out of your window to a beautiful burst of colour too.

Even if you don't have a huge garden you can still achieve lovely pops of colour with a small terrace and even a balcony too.

With the garden I do like more evergreen plants because as it suggests in the name they are ever green. All year round colour is what it's all about. But it is lovely when your seasonal flowers come into bloom too, so you can have a variety of colour and textures throughout the year. 

Just like bringing a pot plant into your kitchen having a lovely selection of colourful pot plants on the patio or balcony also gives you that perfect array of colour to bring a smile to our faces when we look out the window. 

You can always go one steps further and have colourful pots too or paint the ones you already have!

Also with the garden or your outside space adding little garden ornaments brings that colour and personality as well. Garden decor has come a long way since the garden gnome. There is such a variety available these days it's almost like we are spoilt for choice. And affordable too! I'm thinking B&M, supermarkets have amazing ranges, Pepco, Tedi, the list is actually endless.

After writing this post and sharing these thoughts and ideas with you guys I'm more excited then ever to be going into a more colourful world and bringing that much needed colour back to our lives!

Heather