How Color Theory Impacts Interior Design
When you decorate a home, you must have a strategy. Rather than randomly choosing colors and textures, you should have a plan. When you plan out the interior design of your home, make sure to consider color theory. Color theory ensures that the elements of your home flow and work well together. We explain how color theory impacts interior design, so read on to learn more.
Monochromatic Colors
When considering how color theory impacts interior design, it’s important to understand the basics of color theory. Let’s start with monochromatic colors. Monochromatic colors consist of the tints, tones, and shades of a single base shade. For example, a monochromatic color scheme may include the tints, tones, and shades of the color blue.
Tints, tones, and shades are important in color theory, so let’s define what those terms mean. When you add white to a color, you create a tint. When you add black and white to a color, you create a tone. Lastly, adding black to a color creates a shade. You can use tints, tones, and shades to achieve a monochromatic look.
Many people worry that using a monochromatic color scheme will make their home appear dull or boring. To avoid this from occurring, consider adding different textures to the room. When a room has different textures throughout, it will have more depth. If you’re interested in using a monochromatic color scheme, make sure to incorporate different textures.
Analogous Colors
Analogous colors are three colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel. For example, blue, blue-green, and green are analogous colors. Another example is blue-purple, purple, and red purple. There are many examples of analogous colors if you look at the color wheel.
If you want to decorate your home using analogous colors, it’s helpful to have a plan. Many people utilize the 60-30-10 rule when using an analogous color scheme. This rule helps balance the colors in a way that helps showcase each color in its own way. The base color accounts for 60% of the room, an accent color account for 30%, and a pop of color accounts for the remaining 10%. For the base color, look for large items like a couch or area rug. For the accent color, look for items like accent furniture or wall décor. For pops of color, consider throw pillows or lamp shades.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors are also a popular option when choosing a color scheme for the home. As many people know, complementary colors are two colors that sit across from each other on the color wheel. Some examples include purple and yellow, orange and blue, and green and red.
Many people shy away from complementary colors in interior design. People hear green and red and they automatically think of Christmas. What people don’t consider is that you can use tints, tones, and shades. Instead of using bright red and bright green, go with their tints instead. A tint of these colors looks more like pink and light green, which gives off a softer appearance. If you want to incorporate complementary colors, consider using their various tints, tones, and shades.
When you decorate using a complementary color scheme, choose one color to be the dominant shade. One color should be the base color and the other more of an accent. Maybe the furniture is green, and the accents are red. You can use wall décor and accessories to emphasize the accent color.
Color Temperature
Another thing to consider when decorating a room is color temperature. There are warm colors and cool colors. Cool colors include blue, purple, and green. Warm colors include red, yellow, and orange. Warm colors are commonly used in places where people socialize. Consider using warm colors in areas like the kitchen or dining room. Cool colors are more commonly found is areas where people relax. For example, people tend to use cool colors in their bathroom or bedroom.
Although many people think it’s one or the other, you can mix warm and cool tones. If you want to mix both colors, try to use one more than the other. For example, you should choose one option for the bigger items in the room. Your walls and furniture can be warm toned, if the accents and smaller items are cool toned. You don’t want to mix the two too much because that can be confusing to the eye.
Tips for Decorating With Color
It’s important to keep color scheme in mind when decorating to ensure that nothing is clashing. If you look at your home and think “something is wrong here,” it’s probably the color scheme. There are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when decorating with color. For example, try to use only one color throughout the home. This is a great way to tie all the rooms in the house together. Let’s say you’re using a complementary color scheme in the living room. Consider using one of the colors in the dining room or bedroom as well. This helps create unity throughout the home.
If you’re someone who enjoys neutral colors, you can still incorporate color theory into your home. Consider using color theory to choose accent pieces, such as wall décor. If you prefer your furniture to be neutral, you can choose a colorful rug to make a statement. Using color theory ensures that the accessories you choose all work well together. Color theory is an important thing to keep in mind, even if you’re only using a few colors.
Another tip for decorating with color is to choose one wall color throughout the home. Many people choose white walls in their home because they want to play with color throughout the house. White walls allow you to incorporate different colors, textures, and patterns without things feeling overwhelming. If you have white walls throughout the home, you can get creative with statement furniture or bold colored rugs.
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