Throughout history colour has been used to enhance the quality of architecture and interior design. The Greeks coloured their temples with ceramics using blue, gold and ochre. Their interiors were brightly decorated with colourful frescoes of a secular nature.

The Romans adopted the Greeks’ use of colour externally and internally. Bronze, marble and brightly coloured intricately arranged mosaics were used on floors and walls and trompe de l’oeil wall paintings as decorative features contrary to the belief of many decorators who regard this as a contemporary decorative innovation.