How to Choose a Color Scheme
How to Choose a Color Scheme
How to choose a color scheme
One of the most difficult tasks in interior design is selecting a color palette. It can be very challenging, especially since all furniture and accessories will have to follow the color palette you’ve chosen in order to maintain that perfect harmony. Colors are fun to play with, but if you are not very familiar, it can be a little tricky. Here we’ve gathered some tips to help you in the selection process.
First, clearly define the purpose of your space. Every room in an office, commercial space, or home serves a different need. Ask yourself is this room for business meetings, work desks, leisure, meditation, whatever the case may be? Knowing the room’s basic purpose will help in the color selection since colors can have a direct and powerful influence on the subconscious, setting a tone for certain moods or feelings. So, when you choose a color you are ultimately controlling and shaping the mood and how people will react or feel while they are in it. For example, if you are planning a meditation room, it wouldn’t make sense to use stimulators like bright or loud colors. Instead, you would favor lighter colors that are calm and refreshing. So, now that you have an idea of where to start, let’s move on to the next steps!
Figure 1. Moody Colors
With the base color setting the tone for the overall mood, let’s move on to the accents. If you want to keep a simple color palette with a modern twist, definitely go for a monochromatic color palette. Monochromatic colors are easy to work with because you are only dealing with lighter or darker shades of your base color. For example, you can paint the walls light blue and use a darker shade of blue for the accents. This is the easiest color strategy because it’s very simple and you can’t go wrong with it.
Figure 2. Monochromatic Tones
Another safe play is selecting complementary colors. These are colors that are close to each other in the color wheel. Any colors that are side by side on the wheel naturally go well together because they are made from each other. For example, say your base color is green, which is very friendly and comforting, but you still want the space to feel calm and relaxing. In that case you’ll add some blue and it will complement each other perfectly because green and blue are harmonious colors.
Figure 3. Harmonious Color Relationships
The third option is to have a color palette with contrasting colors. Contrasting colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel. This option can be a little risky for some, since not everyone is comfortable mixing bold colors together that will both fight for attention since they are polar opposites. However, these interesting pairings can create some beautiful designs. Think about yellow and purple or blue and orange; they are different from each other, but under the right conditions, when one or the other is used sparingly to boldly complement the other, this tantalizing mix can turn out fabulous.
Figure 4. Constrating Colors
Not every color in your palette has to be colorful. In fact, neutral colors can stand alone for a clean and creamy look, or they can be used in a complementary fashion. Neutrals consist of whites, beiges, greys, and blacks. These neutral colors can be used to make the connection in between rooms, and they are often used for furniture. Neutrals can even wash out some of the effects of having too much of one bold color, like on walls for instance.
Figure 5. Neutral Colors
That’s it - your color palette is ready! Try different colors and techniques in each room to find your desired effect. And always keep your color wheel handy because it will serve as a guide for all your basic color questions. Keep the pairings and color relationships on the wheel in mind when selecting furniture, hardware, wall art, and other décor. Why not try something new and adventurous? Be bold. Be colorful. Good luck!
Related Topics: Décor like a Pro, How to Decorate Shelves