Combining Colors

by Charlotte
(Website Editor)

Questions, stories and comments all about combining colors...

Read on for more helpful hints and tips - or ask your own question about color combinations...

Color Combining - pink, grey, lilac, yellow

I have pink, grey, lilac and pale yellow on the walls of a living room. What colour or colours of curtain should I pick to match with these colours? Please help.

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Comment
By Charlotte
30 April 2012

Hi

You already have quite a lot of colors in your living room, so it may be wise to stick with one of the colors you already have, when you choose your curtains.

It will of course make a difference on which color wall your curtains are to be. You could choose, for example, a deeper pink for your curtains, if they were on the pink wall.

You may also decide you want to go neutral - and this is fine, too. A white, cream or pale beige will interact well with all your other colors.

If you'd like a darker color, go for a mid-grey or deeper charcoal grey, to pick up the grey tones you already have.

If you are working with several colors, it can be a good idea to use a color wheel, to make your color choices.

If you would like to add more colors, a soft blue may balance your other colors out nicely.

Try out any color choices with small swatches first, to check it fits with the hues and tones you already have, and that you like the effect.

Hope that helps you with your curtain dilemma.

Best wishes

Charlotte

Start learning how to use a color wheel, here...

More about color, here...

Need an accent color to go with grey

If I paint the bedroom a mid-light grey, what bold color can I use in the ensuite bathroom and accent wall?

Reply:

Accent decisions...
by: Charlotte

Grey is a very neutral color, so you can pretty much choose any color you want as your accent...

...some nice choices with grey are:

-bright red

-turquoise

-sky blue

-teal

-lime green

-bright yellow

-deep orange

...of course, you could also choose softer colors, if you liked, for a more relaxed and softer feel - nice muted tones of purples, blues and dusky greens can all go really well with greys.

Make sure you pick the accent color you really like - you're the one that will have to live with it - try a little out on your wall with a tester pot before you make your final decision.

Blue shades are often very popular for bathrooms - and are a very relaxing color for sleeping.

Oranges and reds can sometimes be too bold for sleeping for some people - so may not be suitable for the bedroom.

Would you be intending to use the color throughout the ensuite bathroom - or just as an accent in there too?

Bear in mind that blue colors (including blue-y greens) tend to make your room feel larger and lighter, but also colder...

...warm colors, including reds, oranges, yellows, can make your room feel a little smaller - but can be very nice and cosy feeling.

Any dark or bold color tends to make a room feel smaller and darker than a pale color - although a bright bold color with real 'punch' can really liven up any room!

Hope that gives you some ideas and helps you make your decision

Charlotte

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Painting a bedroom with purple and pink

by Amanda
(Liberal, KS)

I am painting my daughter's bedroom purple and pink. I want to leave one wall white.

How should I paint the other three walls? Should I paint two colors next to each other, or should I alternate colors.

For example should I paint white, pink, pink, purple, or should I paint it white, pink, purple, pink?

Would it be better to leave two walls white and paint one pink and one purple? If so, which walls should I paint what?

I have no idea what to do.......

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Comment
By Charlotte

19 August 2011

Hello Amanda

Sounds like your daughter will have a very pretty bedroom!

Personally, I think that 2 walls white would be better than 1 - white is usually seen as a neutral color - so you would use this as the basis for your scheme, and then add the 2 colors (pink and purple) in lesser amounts, for the 'accents'.

Usually, in a bedroom you might paint the wall behind the bed in a stronger or more interesting color (as a 'focal wall' to draw attention to the main focal point of the room: the bed)...

You might also paint the room opposite the bed in a more interesting color - so you (or your daughter, in this case) have something interesting to look at when in bed.

When using 3 colors, I usually like to paint them in 'opposites' - so you would have the 2 white walls opposite each other, and then the 2 'colored' walls opposite each other. It seems to balance the room better.

If the room is quite long and thin, you could think about having the colored walls on the ends (the short walls) to help give the room a squarer shape.

Click here for more about using color and interior design to alter your perception of room proportion...

You should also think about any curtains, what color they are, and how this fits into your wall coloring choices.

Rest easy, Amanda, that I don't think there is a right way and a wrong way to do it, so if you think it would look better in a particular order, then go ahead and do that.

I hope my suggestions help you, though - and wish you all the very best with your decorating project.

Do feel free to come back and ask more questions, if you need more help at any time, and I'd love to see photos of the finished project - you can add them here if you'd like.

Best wishes

Charlotte

More helpful info for decorating kids' bedrooms, here...

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How to choose bedroom colors that look good from the hall

I'm moving into a new home and i want to paint the 3 bedrooms that are next to each other..

I was thinking for my daughter is to do a light lilac, my sons a light grey, and i want to do my room in pale yellow with black and white accents.. do you think these colors work off each other... or will it be too much color difference..

Reply:

Good idea...
by: Charlotte

Hello

I think these color combinations will look great together - I can't think of a combination between them that won't work - just remember to keep the tones (lightness/darkness of the color) similar, and you should be OK.

Lilac and grey will work well together, grey and pale yellow will also look good - and lilac and pale yellow are what is known as 'complementary colors' - that means that because purple and yellow are opposite each other on the interior design color wheel you get a very striking combination/contrast (some other complementary colors are red and green - and orange and blue).

Good luck with all your bedroom makeovers - they should look great together - and very best wishes for life in your new home - enjoy!

Charlotte x

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Color matching for purple and maroon stripes

I plan to upholster my sofa.

I have bought some fabric which is purple and maroon striped. I want to use it only for the cushion seats and want another color for the rest of the sofa.

What color would look sriking with it?

Also, what other colors should be used in the room, in the form of carpet, curtains etc. My living room does not have much natural light.

Please advise.Thanks.

Jolly

Comments:

Nov 01, 2009
Sofa So Good!!
by: Charlotte

Hello Jolly

You certainly sound like you have some great and colorful plans for your living room.

You can go for a very striking, or a 'softer' look for your sofa.

The most striking combination would be to choose a yellow or gold, as this is opposite purple on the color wheel, so is the 'complementary color' - the most striking combination.

This is often most useful as an 'accent' though (using these 2 colors in equal amounts can be a bit much for anyone!).

Other options are red and pinky tones, or blue-violet tones - these will blend together quite well. Oranges and greens can be other unusual options to choose which will give the scheme some 'punch'.

With such strong colors, and a light-deprived room, it would seem a good idea to combine these colors with some paler neutrals, white, creams, taupes, beiges etc.

Blue-type colors will recede and make the room feel larger, while red-toned ones will 'advance' and make the room feel smaller.

However, red tones can significantly brighten and cheer a room, whereas darker blues and purples can make a room feel a little dark and sombre.

Of course mixing with the paler tones would lighten and brighten any of your color choices and make them easier to live with in a naturally dark room.

Hope this gives you some ideas for your scheme. Good luck with your decorating plans.

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Nov 02, 2009
sofa color
by: jolly bahadur

Thanks Charlotte, for your useful tips. I will certainly keep them in mind while purchasing my furnishings.

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Color Schemes for a Whole Home?

by Brenda
(United States)

Do you use one color scheme throughout the house or mix it up from room to room?

Thanks

Brenda

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Comments:


Jul 13, 2009
Some things to consider...
by: Charlotte

Hello Brenda

Thank you very much for your query.

It is a matter of personal choice whether you have a separate color scheme for each room , or one for the whole house.

One single color scheme can work better for small spaces, to make them feel larger (as a whole) and less cluttered.... but separate color schemes can allow you to create a different atmosphere or 'feel' to each room.

Personally, I have a different color scheme to each room, but a keep the central hallway in a neutral color, so that you don't experience color clashes when looking into other rooms.

I hope that helps you with your decorating decisions.

Thanks very much for contacting me.

Best wishes

Charlotte

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Oct 06, 2010
Color schemes different or same room to room
by: Gib/Carol

Color is vital to me.

I grew up in a monotone home. Okay, just the living areas and stairs and hall were all celery green, then sky blue -- trim, ceilings, etc. Boring.

In my own home the colors can even clash as it provides interest. But one accent color follows in each room.

In my new place, it will be a pale green. Just a touch, except in g'dau's rm. where it will dominate in several shades.

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Choosing accent colors in living room

I have a rectangular living/dining area. I have a caramel micro-suede sectional, and have a tan (pale yellowish cast to it, opposed to beige) leather recliner on order.

I am wondering what accent color will work best. I am not crazy about red, and have some turquoise, blue pieces that I could use.

Walls are pale beige. Also wondering if another color other than white will work for drapes.

Help please!

Reply:

Hi

Your new furniture sounds great...

...a good accent color to go with those beige-y, yellow, tan and caramel tones are blue colors - you can try some of the turquoise-blue colors you already have, and perhaps also add some 'true-blue' colors, and even some blue-violet tones.

Or you can stick with the caramel, tan tones, and mix with the teal, turquoise blues, and then add some red-violet tones.

You certainly don't need to stick to white for drapes - you can go for deeper tans or browns, in similar tones - or make a feature of windows by using one of your accent colors.

You might find it helpful in choosing the correct shades and tones in color to consult an interior design color wheel...

...to find out more about how to use a color wheel, and to find out where to buy, click here...

Hope these ideas help you to decide.

Good luck with your decorating.

Best wishes

Charlotte

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my purple, cream and green living room

by tatiana
(chicagi,il)

I'm trying to mix these colors together but I can't seem to figure it out

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Comment
By Charlotte
2 April 2012

Hi Tatiana

That sounds a lovely color scheme - I think it will look great once you've worked it out.

To be able to help you, you will have to give me a few more details - what exactly have you tried? And what have you had problems with?

Do you already have certain items that you have in a particular color that you want to work into your scheme?

In the meantime, have a look at this question, that I recently helped reader, Shannon, with - click here...

Looking forward to hearing back with more details.

Best wishes

Charlotte