95% of people registered as blind or partially sighted have some degree of vision. In order to make the most of residual vision, contrasts in colour - or more importantly tone - can be employed to help identify objects and avoid hazards.

COLOUR versus TONE -

versus

Simple contrasts in colour are not enough. Often, colours which appear to be very different from each other, such as green and brown or grey and pink, are very similar tonally and therefore provide too little contrast to be useful. An easy method of determining whether a colour scheme provides contrast is to take a black and white photocopy or photograph of the colour scheme; good contrasts will show up as black/white and poor contrasts will show up as grey.

WHERE CONTRAST CAN BE APPLIED

Colour and tonal contrast can be applied to interior decoration as well as specific areas such as:

• signs: contrast between legend and sign background

• fittings in toilets: using different coloured soap dispensers and toilet roll holders, dark toilet seats on white fittings and dark tiles behind white urinals and wash hand basins

• switches: choose dark switch and socket plates for light backgrounds or light ones for dark surrounds. In existing situations, a dark stripe or tape around the outside of a switch helps add contrast where there is little

• walkways and passageways: changes in colour, texture and tone of floor finish help to define these areas

• access doors: use contrast between either the door and the frame or the frame and the wall and use contrasting ironmongery on doors

• visual tasks: different coloured work surfaces are useful when working with different materials. Reversible black/white worktops have been used successfully in art and craft rooms and black/white chopping boards are most useful in kitchen areas.

• stairs:  it is of great help to mark the edge of each step in a colour which contrasts with the normal colour of the stairs

Produced by -

Further more detailed technical information can be obtained from the RNIB Joint Mobility Unit (Buildings & Internal Environments Technical Bulletins) - tel. 020-7388 1266 - from which the above information is an extract.

(5/2002)