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Designing With Color

Designing With Color

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color schemes, based on color theory, are used to describe how the colors are chosen and put together. You can think of a color scheme as your overarching color plan! There are many types of color schemes used in interior design, including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic, which we’ll dive into shortly. A color palette is the actual combination of colors (often six, but who’s counting?) that you’ve chosen based on the color scheme that will help you set the mood for a space. So let’s put it into perspective as if you were taking matters into your own hands! Because let’s be real: we know it’s bound to happen…

For example: If you were designing a room in your house (let’s say it’s an office), you’d start by choosing a color scheme to set the room's tone. Ask yourself, what colors energize you to do your best work? From there, you can pick a color palette that incorporates those colors in a functional and visually appealing way. This may involve choosing complementary or contrasting colors for walls, furniture, and accents and selecting fabrics, artwork, and accessories that work well together.

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color schemes, based on color theory, are used to describe how the colors are chosen and put together. You can think of a color scheme as your overarching color plan! There are many types of color schemes used in interior design, including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic, which we’ll dive into shortly. A color palette is the actual combination of colors (often six, but who’s counting?) that you’ve chosen based on the color scheme that will help you set the mood for a space. So let’s put it into perspective as if you were taking matters into your own hands! Because let’s be real: we know it’s bound to happen…

For example: If you were designing a room in your house (let’s say it’s an office), you’d start by choosing a color scheme to set the room's tone. Ask yourself, what colors energize you to do your best work? From there, you can pick a color palette that incorporates those colors in a functional and visually appealing way. This may involve choosing complementary or contrasting colors for walls, furniture, and accents and selecting fabrics, artwork, and accessories that work well together.

Color schemes, based on color theory, are used to describe how the colors are chosen and put together. You can think of a color scheme as your overarching color plan! There are many types of color schemes used in interior design, including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic, which we’ll dive into shortly. A color palette is the actual combination of colors (often six, but who’s counting?) that you’ve chosen based on the color scheme that will help you set the mood for a space. So let’s put it into perspective as if you were taking matters into your own hands! Because let’s be real: we know it’s bound to happen…

For example: If you were designing a room in your house (let’s say it’s an office), you’d start by choosing a color scheme to set the room's tone. Ask yourself, what colors energize you to do your best work? From there, you can pick a color palette that incorporates those colors in a functional and visually appealing way. This may involve choosing complementary or contrasting colors for walls, furniture, and accents and selecting fabrics, artwork, and accessories that work well together.

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color schemes, based on color theory, are used to describe how the colors are chosen and put together. You can think of a color scheme as your overarching color plan! There are many types of color schemes used in interior design, including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic, which we’ll dive into shortly. A color palette is the actual combination of colors (often six, but who’s counting?) that you’ve chosen based on the color scheme that will help you set the mood for a space. So let’s put it into perspective as if you were taking matters into your own hands! Because let’s be real: we know it’s bound to happen…

For example: If you were designing a room in your house (let’s say it’s an office), you’d start by choosing a color scheme to set the room's tone. Ask yourself, what colors energize you to do your best work? From there, you can pick a color palette that incorporates those colors in a functional and visually appealing way. This may involve choosing complementary or contrasting colors for walls, furniture, and accents and selecting fabrics, artwork, and accessories that work well together.

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color schemes, based on color theory, are used to describe how the colors are chosen and put together. You can think of a color scheme as your overarching color plan! There are many types of color schemes used in interior design, including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic, which we’ll dive into shortly. A color palette is the actual combination of colors (often six, but who’s counting?) that you’ve chosen based on the color scheme that will help you set the mood for a space. So let’s put it into perspective as if you were taking matters into your own hands! Because let’s be real: we know it’s bound to happen…

For example: If you were designing a room in your house (let’s say it’s an office), you’d start by choosing a color scheme to set the room's tone. Ask yourself, what colors energize you to do your best work? From there, you can pick a color palette that incorporates those colors in a functional and visually appealing way. This may involve choosing complementary or contrasting colors for walls, furniture, and accents and selecting fabrics, artwork, and accessories that work well together.

Color Schemes & Color Palettes

Color schemes, based on color theory, are used to describe how the colors are chosen and put together. You can think of a color scheme as your overarching color plan! There are many types of color schemes used in interior design, including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic, which we’ll dive into shortly. A color palette is the actual combination of colors (often six, but who’s counting?) that you’ve chosen based on the color scheme that will help you set the mood for a space. So let’s put it into perspective as if you were taking matters into your own hands! Because let’s be real: we know it’s bound to happen…

For example: If you were designing a room in your house (let’s say it’s an office), you’d start by choosing a color scheme to set the room's tone. Ask yourself, what colors energize you to do your best work? From there, you can pick a color palette that incorporates those colors in a functional and visually appealing way. This may involve choosing complementary or contrasting colors for walls, furniture, and accents and selecting fabrics, artwork, and accessories that work well together.

The 60-30-10 Rule in design states that when designing a room, you should pick three core colors and then distribute them in those three percentages to keep the palette balanced and harmonious. 60% will be the dominant color (likely a neutral, though certainly not always!), 30% will be something a bit bolder, and 10% will be the accent color (often the boldest color). Look at the example below to see what this could look like in a real space.
The 60-30-10 Rule in design states that when designing a room, you should pick three core colors and then distribute them in those three percentages to keep the palette balanced and harmonious. 60% will be the dominant color (likely a neutral, though certainly not always!), 30% will be something a bit bolder, and 10% will be the accent color (often the boldest color). Look at the example below to see what this could look like in a real space.
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Let's define four different color scheme types.

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Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel, and you know what they say… Opposites attract! You can use complementary colors when designing a space to create a bold and sharp contrast and bring a high-energy impact to your room. The most common complementary color pairs are primary and secondary (think: red and green, yellow and purple, and blue and orange), but you can pick any color on the color wheel and find its complementary matches, like blue-green (teal) and red-orange (blood orange).

Image Source: Architectural Digest

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Analogous colors sit right next to each other on the color wheel. Blue and purple, for example, are analogous colors. Analogous colors are naturally pleasing to the eye and create a good visual flow when paired.

Image Source: Nest Casa

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If you look at the evenly spaced colors on the color wheel, you will find your triadic colors. In other words, all primary colors paired together are triadic, and all secondary colors are triadic. Triadic colors stand out when used together and call attention to one another. Designing an interior using triadic colors can make a space pop and create an unexpected visual element.

Image Source: Damian Russell

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Monochromatic color schemes incorporate a single color in different tones. Using a monochromatic palette in your design can be a great way to make a statement and create some drama while still allowing the eye to rest.

Image Source: Sanderson Design

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