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Color Schemes
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Published: September 27, 2006
VWith thousands of choices, choosing a color scheme can seem like one of the most intimidating decisions involved in decorating (or redecorating) a room or house.
Though daunting, it is one of the most important elements, often creating the foundation upon which every other decorating choice is built. Color can determine the entire look, mood and feel of a room.
Color can highlight architectural features, showcase art, furniture or other prized possessions. Color can even affect how large a room looks. Clearly, color is important, but where does one start in picking it out?
When you begin planning, it is best to consider all your options and what basic mood you want your living space to capture. There are three basic ways to go about combining colors into your desired color scheme.
A monochromatic scheme is basically one color, but in many different shades and hues, from dark to light. If you want the feel of your room to be relaxed, calm, harmonious and simple, you should probably go with this color scheme.
An analogous scheme involves using the adjacent colors on the color wheel. Examples of this are maroon and rust, or olive and mustard. Using these adjacent colors contrasts and highlights specific features of a room because these colors can be emotive when combined, and effective in bringing out or hiding elements. If you want some interest in your room without being too daring, this is a good way to go.
A complementary scheme is when you use the colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Examples of this are burnt orange and dusty turquoise, or lavender and pale yellow. This allows for more opportunities to accent and highlight a room; however, since there is such a contrast between these types of colors, they must be combined carefully or they will be too over the top and loud. If you want something bold and striking, this color scheme can do the job. Black and white is a classic way to create this scheme in a clean and modern way.
After you have chosen the type of color scheme best suiting your needs, you should start looking at the room itself for clues on which colors will work best. Look for inspiration from the art, furniture or architecture which your room will encompass. You will need to plan your color scheme around any existing elements, such as carpeting, which cannot be easily changed. You also need to think how a color scheme will incorporate any furniture or art which needs to be included in the finished room.
In general, trust your gut about the feeling of the room as well as its purpose. For example, if there are sweeping, floor-to-ceiling windows and the room might be used to entertain, a dramatic maroon, black and gold contrasting color scheme might be great for creating elegance and excitement. But if you are decorating a living room with hardwood floors, which will primarily be used for relaxing, a lighter, more airy color combination of soft blue and light green would work well.
Looking at pieces of art you love can be helpful in creating a color scheme. Do you love Monet's haystack paintings? Don't be afraid to copy those exact colors in your decorating color scheme. There is a reason you love the painting; a lot of it has to do with its color combination, and its effect on your mood is already time-tested.
Not a big art buff? You can get inspired from anything you love: a bouquet of flowers, your favorite bedspread, an old plaid hankie, the print on that dress you've had forever. As a general rule, the more intense a color, or the bigger the span between colors in a particular color scheme, the more intense a feeling it will evoke in a living space. Conversely, the less intense a color, or closer the color families are, the more relaxing and simple the look will be.
When deciding on a color scheme for an entire house, you must consider how the color schemes in each room will work together. Basically, you will follow the same steps as a single room, but need to think about the flow of the rooms and make sure any spaces you can see looking from one room to another will work well together. In closed off rooms, like bathrooms, you have more freedom for fun surprises and complete changes of tone.
Sources
http://www.behr.com/behrx/inspiration/artistic_5 .jsp
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=lea rn-cat&id=cat293&navLevel=3&rsc=bottom
Though daunting, it is one of the most important elements, often creating the foundation upon which every other decorating choice is built. Color can determine the entire look, mood and feel of a room.
Related Articles
Color can highlight architectural features, showcase art, furniture or other prized possessions. Color can even affect how large a room looks. Clearly, color is important, but where does one start in picking it out?
When you begin planning, it is best to consider all your options and what basic mood you want your living space to capture. There are three basic ways to go about combining colors into your desired color scheme.
A monochromatic scheme is basically one color, but in many different shades and hues, from dark to light. If you want the feel of your room to be relaxed, calm, harmonious and simple, you should probably go with this color scheme.
An analogous scheme involves using the adjacent colors on the color wheel. Examples of this are maroon and rust, or olive and mustard. Using these adjacent colors contrasts and highlights specific features of a room because these colors can be emotive when combined, and effective in bringing out or hiding elements. If you want some interest in your room without being too daring, this is a good way to go.
A complementary scheme is when you use the colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Examples of this are burnt orange and dusty turquoise, or lavender and pale yellow. This allows for more opportunities to accent and highlight a room; however, since there is such a contrast between these types of colors, they must be combined carefully or they will be too over the top and loud. If you want something bold and striking, this color scheme can do the job. Black and white is a classic way to create this scheme in a clean and modern way.
After you have chosen the type of color scheme best suiting your needs, you should start looking at the room itself for clues on which colors will work best. Look for inspiration from the art, furniture or architecture which your room will encompass. You will need to plan your color scheme around any existing elements, such as carpeting, which cannot be easily changed. You also need to think how a color scheme will incorporate any furniture or art which needs to be included in the finished room.
In general, trust your gut about the feeling of the room as well as its purpose. For example, if there are sweeping, floor-to-ceiling windows and the room might be used to entertain, a dramatic maroon, black and gold contrasting color scheme might be great for creating elegance and excitement. But if you are decorating a living room with hardwood floors, which will primarily be used for relaxing, a lighter, more airy color combination of soft blue and light green would work well.
Looking at pieces of art you love can be helpful in creating a color scheme. Do you love Monet's haystack paintings? Don't be afraid to copy those exact colors in your decorating color scheme. There is a reason you love the painting; a lot of it has to do with its color combination, and its effect on your mood is already time-tested.
Not a big art buff? You can get inspired from anything you love: a bouquet of flowers, your favorite bedspread, an old plaid hankie, the print on that dress you've had forever. As a general rule, the more intense a color, or the bigger the span between colors in a particular color scheme, the more intense a feeling it will evoke in a living space. Conversely, the less intense a color, or closer the color families are, the more relaxing and simple the look will be.
When deciding on a color scheme for an entire house, you must consider how the color schemes in each room will work together. Basically, you will follow the same steps as a single room, but need to think about the flow of the rooms and make sure any spaces you can see looking from one room to another will work well together. In closed off rooms, like bathrooms, you have more freedom for fun surprises and complete changes of tone.
Sources
http://www.behr.com/behrx/inspiration/artistic_5 .jsp
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=lea rn-cat&id=cat293&navLevel=3&rsc=bottom
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