The strange satisfaction of mismatched tones

Combinations we didn’t expect to love, but we do. Also works in outfits.

上海市 collection by Yiorgos Mavropoulos

We’ve long been devoted to the cult of monochrome, the soothing, head-to-toe sameness that makes us feel put together, sane, maybe even spiritual if you squint. We’ve been preaching tonal dressing (and all-black everything) since the beginning of our existence.

But lately, we’ve been curious about what happens when colour misbehaves. When avocado oil sits next to tobacco brown. When poppy red flirts with cornhusk. Maybe it’s the movies we’ve been watching, or their settings and interiors planned to the edge of insanity. Whatever it is, these visual interruptions inspired us to do this little study in colour disobedience. Combinations we do love in interiors, even when they shouldn’t work, and that we’d happily wear in clothes too.

One rule, though: no more than 4 colours at a time.

7-color and 12-color color circles from 1708 (attributed to Claude Boutet)

If you speak of complimentary colours, you speak of Poppy Red + Mint

Jacques Tati’s Villa Arpel, ‘Mon Oncle’ (1958)

Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘La Chinoise’ (1967)

The Pyongyang Metro is the main subway system in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea

The Forest House by designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, located within dark evergreen and bright woodland in West Cornwall, Connecticut.

Cedar Green to Mint + Toffee

Oscar Niemeyer's building for the French Communist Party in Paris. Images by ArchDaily

Retail therapy in the 70’s. Celine shop by Sergio Asti in Milano, 1978. ⁠

INTERIOR DETAIL at the VILLA in Bernstorffsvej 17, Hellerup, Danemark, Designed in 1931 by FRITS SCHLEGEL, Danish architect (1896-1965), Photography: Marie-Louise Høstbo

Caramel + the Sea Under a Cloudy Sky (yes, blues)

‘Mad Men’ (2007)

+ a more Cobalt hue, here

Casa Nanon, designed by Ettore Sottsass (1995–98).

The Godard Way = Bleu + Blanc + Rouge + (a touch of yellow, sometimes)

Inside Today’s Home by Ray and Sarah Faulkner, published by Holt Rinehart Winston 1975 Spectacular, huge 1975 volume of seventies modern interior design and decoration.

Proclamation House by State of Kin featuring Red and Blue armchair by Gerrit Rietveld and Refolo by Charlotte Perriand both by Cassina Official 548 table lamp by Astep design, Photography by Jack Lovel // House on Track in Rome, by STUDIOTAMAT

90s bedroom

A Jean-Luc Godard classic: red, blue, white setting.

Strawberry + Whipped Cream

80s bathroom aesthetic

The style of ‘Scarface’ (1983) is all encompassing -set design from Bruce Weintraub helps deliver De Palma’s vision of Miami style

Marni Flagship Store, London (2003)

Coral Red + Violet + White

The Skybreak House at ‘Stanley Kubrick,’s The Clockwork Orange’ (1971)

Purple + Ochre

An accidental Wes Anderson Melbourne airport in the 70s

Rosewater + Pistachio + Ash Grey

Hercule Poirot and Miss Lemon in ‘Poirot’ series (1989)

The living room of David Lynch’s ‘Lost Highway’ (1997)

Jacques Tati, ‘Mon Oncle’ 1958

Now, you’ve seen the mismatched tones that inspired us. Next Wednesday, see what happens when we wear them.

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Stella, Valisia, Alexandra