Colour is a very strong element of interior decoration and it has the power to make or break your look. Therefore, choosing it wisely is the best option. This year is more about vibrancy and rich shades along with a sense of serenity – resulting in taking the de-stressors of the environment into homes and making it the perfect retreat.

• Lemon

Lemon may seem to be something out of the 1970s or 80s but ever heard the term ‘history repeats itself’ or ‘old is gold’? I don’t know about the other trends but lemon surely is gold for 2013. Its lightness and sunny appearance can make any room appear light, bright and spacious. The best part about lemon is that it goes with everything, including red, brown, white etc. Thus it can be incorporated with any look you are trying to achieve – from modern to traditional. Contemporary accessories are all about metallics, and silver and bronze both can greatly stand out in a lemon background.

• Navy Blue

Blue has always been a favourite especially for boy’s room but this year its all about a darker, richer and romantic shade of blue. No other colour can provide better accents than a bright navy blue shade as it has a calming effect on one end while it’s completely trendy and fashionable on the other hand. Blue brings to mind the freshness of water and the vastness of the ocean while a richer shade goes further to representing a show stopper. A feature wall can easily be created by painting upon this dark shade and next covering the wall with some of the best canvas prints. For added effects, make sure the canvas prints are light-colored.

• Emerald Green

The contemporary era is all about environmental consciousness, caring about health and basically going green. Thanks to nature, the colour green has an air of natural freshness around it – whether it’s employed through the use of fresh potted plants or simply painted upon walls, its always a retreat for sore eyes. Moreover, green is known to enhance balance and harmony. The emerald shade of green adds a touch of brightness and royalty to the colour, making it more modern than ever. A neutral background can be chosen with pops of this vibrant colour in rugs, canvas pictures etc. or even an entirely green wall or carpet can look excellent.