When choosing colours for the exterior of your home, consider more than just your own taste preferences and how it looks, because the colour of your home can affect the way heat is absorbed. Because colours reflect and absorb heat, you must choose the right colours for yourself.

According to several case studies, dark and dull colours absorb a lot of the sun’s radiant energy, which is then transferred into the wall as radiated heat. On the other hand, light-coloured paints can help reflect the sun’s heat away from the home. White walls, for example, absorb 35% less heat than dark walls, for example, black walls, therefore requiring less energy to cool the home.

To save on energy bills and to protect our precious fossil fuels, choose light and white hues of paint for the outer

walls of your home because they reflect more light and heat, heating your home less. Thus, you don’t need to waste as much energy on cooling it as opposed to when your home is painted in darker colours. But not everyone wants to paint their homes white, so cool colours like light blues and pinks are good for blocking solar radiation and overheating homes.

If you don’t want to repaint your home, other alternatives include using a whole house fan. This fan is installed on the top level of the home near the roof and helps supply cool air through the home, reducing energy costs and the need for an air conditioner. Yay long-term savings!

If you’re planning to remodel or renovate your space, consider using concrete or brick for the walls of your home because they help naturally reduce the overall temperatures.

Whether you live in a hot climate without air conditioning or are looking to save on energy expenses, the colours of the paint you use on the outside of your home considerably effect the temperature of the inside of your home.

DID YOU KNOW?THE COLOUR OF YOUR HOME AFFECTS ITS TEMPERATURE.

5 WAYS TO REUSE YOUR OLD PAINT CANSFocusing on how to protect and conserve the environment, our in-house designer reveals five ways you can avoid creating waste and repurpose old paint cans to create beautiful DIY pieces:

1. LIGHT UP YOUR PATH WITH DIY PAINT CAN LANTERNS

Paint your can in any colour of your choice, then drill holes to make patterns. Then, place a candle inside to make decorative lanterns.

2. FASHION A DIY HANGING PLANTER

Remove the handle of a large metal can then drill three drainage holes in the bottom and three in the sides near the top of the can to thread with sash chain. Add some potting soil then plant draping plants, such as petunias, and hang up for everyone to marvel at.

3. MAKE AN ADORABLE TRASH CAN

Wrap some sisal rope in a pretty kanga, then wind the rope around an old paint can, gluing it. And voila! You have a cute waste basket for your little one’s room or to impress your guests.

4. TRANSFORM OLD PAINT CANS INTO COIN BANKS

Perfect for little kids, these DIY coin banks are a great way to unleash their inner creativity while teaching them about the importance of savings. Let them decorate using stiff manila paper, paint or even stickers. Then, cut a hole in the lid to help them drop their coins and notes through. Just make sure to file away any sharp edges to avoid accidents.

5. CREATE A GLAM ICE BUCKET

Class up your next party with a DIY glam ice bucket for drinks made from old paint cans. Our plastic cans, which are larger, are perfect for this. All you need to do is spray paint the paint tin. Any colour works but gold is the best to create some glamorous drama. And now, you’ve got yourself a pretty, custom-made ice bucket.

FIND YOUR BATHROOM COLOUR

2. NEUTRALSThe easiest palette to work with when introducing new tones for accessories. Neutrals are like soft browns (beiges), charcoals and off-whites which are popular. Besides painting the bathroom in these colours, durable and cost-effective wood-effect floor tiles and driftwood style bathroom furniture are a great way to add brown hues which portray warmth and cosiness.

Need some help with your bathroom colour decisions? Our guide to bathroom colour schemes can help you achieve your dream bathroom.

1. GREYGrey has been recently gaining a fair amount of traction, especially since this sophisticated yet understated colour can fit into any style from modern to traditional to rustic. Eternal yet elegant, ensure that the colour doesn’t dull the room by spicing it up with warmer and bolder accessories.

4. BLACK AND WHITEA timeless classic, a black-and-white bathroom offers a visually stunning effect that shouts sophistication and glamour. Besides monochrome décor, try black-and-white patterned floor tiles with white walls or an elegant patterned wallpaper.

5. GREENGreen is back, better than ever after gaining a bad reputation years ago for the avocado bathrooms that didn’t age well. Today, choose from a myriad of hues: mint, seafoam, emerald, sage etc. Add some balance and refreshment to your bathroom with green bathroom tiles and some potted plants will add a splash of colour and scent.

3. WHITEClean and basic, a white bathroom is virtually future-proof so it won’t look dated in five years.

6. BLUEStimulate clear thoughts with a strong blue or calm the mind and aid concentration with a soft blue. Style your bathroom with blue wallpaper or bathroom cabinets, or simply use blue patterned Mediterranean tiles to add some pizazz to that shower, backsplash or even focal wall behind the tub.

WHAT COLOUR TO PAINT YOUR BEDROOM

Create a personal retreat in your bedroom by painting the entire space or creating an accent wall in any one of the shades chosen by our in-house designer below.

BLUE

Channelling the sea and the sky, blue is known for its calming effects. Cool yet upbeat enough to create a relaxed vibe, blue is perfect for an adult’s or child’s bedroom.

PURPLE

Create a regal and elegant space with the colour of royalty. Pair purple with other jewel tones like turquoise and ruby red to balance the vibrant violet.

YELLOW

Sunny and happy, softer shades of yellow are bound to easily get you in a good mood, making it a loud and proud choice.

RED

Known to energize, red is a bold colour. Try muted shades of red for an entire room or if you don’t want to go all out, have an accent wall or incorporate textiles.

WHITE

Basic and simple, white allows you to play up with your décor and textures. The colour will light up your walls and give you an unobtrusive canvas to decorate your space.

GREEN

Restful and symbolising nature and renewal, green is ideal for a bedroom as one can relax in peace.

BLACK GREY

Sleek and modern, black can either be an accent wall or an entire moody space. Style your room by breaking up the black with colourful décor to brighten up the space.

Lovely for a calm and sophisticated space, grey, whether it’s a subtle off-white shade or a deep charcoal, the hue will effortlessly complement your carefully selected art pieces.

PINK

Pink can help create a calming and romantic environment. To avoid an overly feminine space, add some global patterns and casual fabrics to the room.

WHAT THE CROWN COLOUR APP CAN DO FOR YOU

HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED THE CROWN COLOUR APP ON YOUR PHONE? The Crown Colour App gives you access to your

favourite colours with ease. Here are a few things that the app can do:

Visit any of our Crown Paints state-of-the-art showrooms to place your order, interact, and have a look and feel of the actual products. Get your favourite shade chosen through the colour app dispensed for you and enjoy the colourful world of Crown Paints.

• IDENTIFY AND MATCH COLOURS

Looking for a shade that you have seen somewhere and have no clue what colour shade it could be? The Crown Colour App assists to find the right shade from the 7,000 colours that Crown Paints offers.

Alternatively, get inspired for your home interiors by browsing through pre-installed home interior images helping you visualize and conceptualize your dream colour scheme.

• SAVE YOUR FAVOURITES

Save your favourite colours and because you know your colour personality and inspiration better than anyone else. Once saved, you can easily access and purchase your favourite colour paint from any Crown Paints depot.

• COLOUR CODE

Ok, you’ve thumbed through our colour swatch cards and have found that perfect shade with its name and colour. Now, you want to show it to someone but don’t have your physical colour swatch card on you; therefore, simply input the colour name and/or code and find it on the Ambience Colour Chart and share.

HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF STEP-BY-STEP

All you need to make your project come to life are:

• Stencil sheets • Marker pens• Measuring tape • Adhesive glue• Masking tape • Leveller• Wall paint • Foam brush/sponge brush• Cutting mat/pile of newspapers• X-ACTO knife/blade

1. FIND A DESIGN YOU LIKE Either hand draw a design you like or print out a design from the internet. If it’s a large design, you might need a bigger print of the design which can be done by a local printing store. If you want your stencil to be a repetitive pattern, print two sheets of the same pattern and utilize that on your space.

2. PREPARE THE STENCIL SHEETSFirst, you will need a material to make into a stencil; thin plastic sheets of any kind would work well. You can go to a print shop and buy overhead projector sheets, or printer-sized plastic sheets from the craft store. This is ideal if you have chosen an image that you can print out from a computer. If you plan to freehand draw or use a complex method of transferring an image, you may want to buy a larger plastic sheet from a speciality dealer.

3. TRACE THE PATTERNPlace your printed image underneath the semi-transparent stencil sheet. You should be able to see the pattern clearly and trace the pattern using a marker.

Want a unique and innovative solution for a feature wall? Why not use stencils which are easy to do and cost-effective?

4. CUT THE STENCILCut out the stencil using an X-ACTO knife or a blade which allows for precision. Use a cutting mat or a stack of old newspapers underneath which acts as a protection between the blade and your furniture.

5. FIX THE STENCIL ON THE WALLSpray the back of your stencil with an adhesive spray or use masking tape around the borders of the stencil. If your stencil pattern is to go up on a high-level wall, you may need a ladder or a stool to stand on to fix the stencil. To confirm whether the stencil is levelled, you may need to use a level.

6. PAINTING THE STENCIL Using a foam or sponge brush, paint the cut-out areas of your stencil. To avoid dripping, ensure you apply just enough paint on the brush. Dab the area with even pressure and wait for the paint to dry. Once dry, peel the stencil and enjoy your very own unique feature wall.

HAVE YOU TRIED STENCILS ON YOUR WALLS?