You don’t have to be a decorating expert to create beautiful and cohesive rooms. There are only a few things to consider, and they all start with the magic of the color wheel.
The color wheel is divided into two sections. On one side, you’ll find cool colors, and on the other side, you’ll find warm colors. As you are mentally decorating a room, you’ll notice that you likely naturally gravitate to one part of the wheel or the other. Whether you choose a cool or a warm color should depend on how you want the room to “feel”. Cool colors are generally associated with calm and serene feelings while warm colors tend to feel more exciting and lively.
The color wheel seems basic at first glance, but it actually consists of a wide range of colors. Each main color on the wheel can be further divided into hues or saturations. Once you’ve decided on a main cool or warm color, consider the varying tones it can offer. In fact, using varying tones alone can help you coordinate your colors.
Monochromatic Decorating
A monochromatic scheme uses several hues of the same color. Coordinating colors in this way creates a sophisticated look that’s easy to shop for. Monochromatic schemes usually use neutral colors such as beige, khaki or grey. However, you can apply this decorating trick to any color. Keep in mind that bolder colors should be used more sparingly.
Analogous Decorating
Ready to add a little more spice? Try an analogous color scheme. The idea behind this decorating secret is to use colors that appear next to one another on the color wheel. When decorating the analogous way, limit your choices to three colors. Whether you choose a primary color, a secondary color or a color shade is up to you. You can mix cool and warm colors or stick to one side of the wheel.
This way of coordinating a color scheme works best if you choose a principal color, and then make the other two colors on the wheel your accents.
Complementary Decorating
Analogous colors work well together because they tend to naturally complement one another. But did you know that every color on the color wheel actually has a complementary color? Complementary colors are an artwork staple since they allow the artist to create depth with shadow and light, however, complementary colors can also work wonders in your home. Unlike the artist who blends complementary colors, you can use two colors on opposing ends of the color wheel side by side.
Be careful, as this style of coordinating colors can quickly create a cluttered, overwhelming feel. Create a cohesive look with complementary colors by sticking to one color shade. If you’re in doubt, start with small accents, such as a set of orange and blue sofa pillows.
Lastly, if you’re feeling very adventurous, try a triad of colors. As the name implies, this type of color scheme utilizes three colors from the color wheel simultaneously. But we don’t just want to choose any three. With so many color hues available, things can quickly end up looking like an amateur finger painting.
To utilize this decorating trick correctly, begin by choosing a dominant color. Then mentally (or literally) draw an equilateral triangle on your color wheel. You’ll end up with three evenly spaced colors ranging from warm to cool, and although this decorating style does create some very vivid contrasts, it actually tends to be less intense than a complementary theme.
Go bold by choosing the most saturated version of all three colors, or soften the look and feel of your triadic color scheme by utilizing gentle hues.
