Playing with colour this summer
COLOUR IDEAS FOR YOUR PALETTE (AND PALATE)
Summer is in full swing which means that you’re likely either giving your home décor a seasonal refresh or getting ready to host the annual festive season gatherings – or both. I’ve always loved how food, art and design can go hand-in-hand, and summer is the perfect season to try and play with fun table settings and menus. Choosing ingredients for a meal is often like choosing materials for an art project, so it makes sense that some of our favourite ingredients are chosen not just for their flavours and uses, but also their beautiful colours.
Here are some of my favourite colour choices to play and experiment with for your summer food and décor plans.
Green
It may seem a bit obvious but there’s just something about green that will always speak to the warmer months. From lime all the way to jade, green evokes images of the outdoors, lush fields and blooming plants, not to mention fresh produce! I’ve always enjoyed incorporating grapes into my table settings and cheese courses. They’re chic, sustainable, and frankly, a great addition to snack on.
Featured: Asga shade by Tjhoko Paint
Maroon
Shifting into a slighter different territory, maroon is a dramatic and sexy colour that can make a great bold statement, especially when used sparingly, and this summer I’m drawn to the dramatic colour of cherries. Their almost purple shade – and glossy sheen – are beautifully bold, plus they are perfect to throw on top of a diverse range of desserts, ranging from an ice-cream sundae to a Christmas fruit cake.
Featured: Amon’s Aubergine by Tjhoko Paint
Yellow
Another quintessential summer staple, yellow always looks fresh and happy, evoking imagery of the sun itself. Lemon is a great piece of produce to include in a number of summer dishes like lemon drizzle loaf or roast lemon chicken, or even in your selection of summer cocktails and G&Ts, but yellow peaches also offer a beautiful, soft iteration of the colour.
Featured: John’s Joy by Tjhoko Paint
Orange
A colour that many people seem scared to play with, orange’s vibrancy can make it a slightly harder colour to incorporate in your palette, but with risk often comes reward, and its bright, cheerful disposition makes it a great pop of colour for a fun summer set-up. There are a few delicious orange food options you can look at, from citrus like orange, to melon and carrots. I love how raw and authentic carrots look with their individual imperfections, and the colour is naturally vibrant. Plus, they’re great for your eyes thanks to the beta-carotene they contain.
Featured: Paul’s Place by Tjhoko Paint
Red
No piece of produce says summer better than watermelon! Refreshing, juicy and easy to cut and shape to your needs, watermelon has been a feature in my cheese room offerings and summer spreads many times. I love how the fleshy pink/ red centre of the watermelon paired with the green rind is a playful contrast that screams summer.
Featured: Real Red by Tjhoko Paint
Giving old favourites new life
If you’re thinking about doing a summer refresh in your home, working on some fun DIY art projects or just want to give some surfaces a bit of a face lift, Tjhoko Paint’s proudly South African water-based self-sealing chalk paint offers a huge range of colour. Creamy and smooth, the paint is easy to work with and both paint and sealants are water-based and eco-friendly. Tjhoko Paint can be used on wood, metal, glass, natural fabrics, laminated surfaces and previously varnished surfaces.
