The first thing you notice in any room interior is its color scheme – of course, other than the treasure chest by the TV, the jewelry on the bedside table, the ostentatious glass mosaic tiles – color is a mood dictator. It also reflects your personality and design aesthetic. You need not be an expert interior designer to know the best color palette for your home. All you need is basic knowledge about the color wheel plus your own design style and you’re good to go! Here are some color theories you need to know to help you design your interiors.
Primary and Secondary colors.
It would be helpful if you take a look at the color wheel. It will guide you in choosing which colors go well together. The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. If you mix any two of these colors you will come up with secondary colors. Primary colors are strong and vibrant, bringing energy to any room. Secondary colors are orange, green, and violet. If you mix primary and secondary colors further you’ll have tertiary colors such as blue-green, red-orange, and yellow-green. These hues help in accentuating your room, adding a unique pop to your interiors.
Complementary and Analogous colors.
Complimentary colors are those that are located opposite each other on the color wheel. Examples of complimentary colors are blue and orange, red and green, and yellow and violet. Do not use these colors in its full strength to avoid too much contrast. Red and green as it is will give you a holiday feel but if you use olive green and maroon the room becomes sophisticated. Feel free to experiment on the different hues of complimentary colors for a more balanced color scheme. Analogous colors are located beside each other on the color wheel. Examples of analogous colors are red and red-violet, yellow and yellow-orange, and blue and blue-green. They provide the right amount of contrast in your interiors without going overboard.
Warm and Cool colors.
The easiest way to use color theories in interior designing is by using warm and cool colors. All the colors on the left side of the color wheel are warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow. Cool colors are found on the right side of the color wheel such as blue, green, and violet. Warm colors exude energy and life which is great for rooms where there is much activity such as dining and living rooms. It adds weight to any room, making big spaces look smaller. Cool colors are relaxing and soothing which is perfect for rooms with less activity such as bedrooms and bathrooms. It also makes small spaces look bigger because of the clean and airy feel it gives.
There are hundreds of hues you can choose from for your home interiors. The key is choosing the color you want for each room then mixing it with complementary or analogous colors. Interior designer Maria Killam suggests the use of the 60-30-10 rule. Pick a dominant color that will comprise 60% of your room then choose a secondary color that will constitute the 30% and add an accent color that will fill the remaining 10%. Using more than three colors can be overwhelming already so as much as possible stick to three colors and its hues. There are no perfect color palettes. It’s all a matter of taste, personality, and using the best combinations to create the room that represents your design aesthetic perfectly.