Choosing a Home Color Scheme

by Joanna

Colors affect our moods in all sorts of ways, so you’ve got to take care to choose a home color scheme that will set the right tone. Gaining a basic working knowledge of color theory will help you understand how to combine certain colors and hues to create the vibe you want your home to have.

To get started, you’ll have to know the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Primary colors are those which can be combined to create other colors; yellow, red and blue and the three primary colors. Mixing all three of them equally will create brown; different shades of brown are made by varying the proportions of these three – for example, lighter browns have more yellow, murky browns have more blue and darker browns have more red.

Secondary colors are made by combining two of the three primary colors. Yellow and red make orange, red and blue make violet, and yellow and blue make green. Tertiary colors are disproportionate mixes of two primary colors. For example, two parts red and one part yellow make a very warm red-orange.

Your home should have a unified color scheme. There can (and should) be variation from room to room, but you don’t want to haphazardly paint one room in warm, vibrant tones only to have the next be decorated in subdued pastels.

Broadly speaking, your home’s overarching color scheme can belong to one of three major styles: warm and cozy, cool and soothing, or neutral. Begin by choosing which of these you would prefer, then build from there.

Warm and cozy colors make rooms feel smaller and create a sense of strength. Red, orange and yellow are the classic cozy colors, but some theorists also place yellow-green at the light end of the warm spectrum.

In contrast, cool and soothing colors create a sense of deeper space while giving your home an air of calmness and relaxation. Green, blue and lighter shades of violet are considered cool colors, and these hues are chosen by people wishing to promote a sense of serenity.

Neutral colors are favored for their flexibility; they give you a wide range of options when it comes to accentuating the room through your choice of furnishings and accessories. White, grey, black and brown are neutral colors; they match with just about everything and allow you to use the space in the room to create the tone you want rather than relying on the color of the wall.

From kitchen tile to table linens, remember the importance of color when you shop for your home. Colors send a message; put thought and care into what you want your color scheme to communicate to your family and your guests.