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Tips on Choosing Color Schemes for Your Home

Posted on April 9th, 2009
by Berit Griffin

1 Comment

Have you ever imagined how a certain color scheme will look in your home and decided to go forward with it only to end up having your home looking entirely different than you originally imagined? 

color_wheelNever again. These great tips we found on this Home Decor site will help you prepare better next time you decide to paint. 

First, consider a color scheme. Here are three common ones:

  • Monochromatic: Uses only one color throughout. Variety is introduced by using various tints, tones, values and shades of that key color and different textures.
  • Complementary: Uses two colors placed opposite each other on the color wheel (e.g. yellow and violet). This scheme is quite bold and lends a dramatic touch. 
  • Triadic: Uses three hues placed consecutively or at equal distances from each other (e.g. red, yellow and blue).

The article also offers helpful, easy steps that a novice can take in deciding color schemes. For example, you can use your favorite pattern as the guide for your color palette:

  1. The lightest color in the pattern can be used for the background, such as wall paint color.
  2. The medium color can be used as your guide for picking large furniture pieces, windows, doors, closets and cabinets.
  3. The darkest color can be used for selecting accessories.

Also, consider the role your room and its size will play: 

  1. White and pale colors reflect light more and make the room appear larger.
  2. Dark colors make rooms appear cozier and smaller.

Photo courtesy of Team Dalog via Flickr



Related reading:

  • Bright Colors for Any Season
  • Decorating Fail?
  • So last year
  • Enjoying the Outdoors
  • Style: Making a statement by staying neutral

Posted in decor | Article tags: colors, decor, interior design

1 Comment


One Response to “Tips on Choosing Color Schemes for Your Home”

MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style » Blog Archive » Four Tools for Choosing Colors

May 5th, 2009 - 9:12 am

[...] taught us about different types of color schemes and provided inspiration for a previous blog post, and we’re back to share some tools to help you pick the specific colors to bring your vision [...]

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