Choose a Color Scheme

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Color is the most important element in decorating, so the color wheel is an essential tool. Thousands of combinations are possible, but you can use basic information to create the color scheme best suited for your home and your personal style. The most important decorating rule? Always choose the colors you like best.

The Color Wheel

The color wheel identifies color families and how they relate.

Primary Colors

All colors, with the exception of white, come from primary colors. Red, yellow and blue are the primary colors. Combinations of these three colors produce other colors. Mix all three together in equal amounts to produce brown.

Secondary Colors

Mix equal amounts of two primary colors to create secondary colors. The results are violet (red and blue), green (blue and yellow) and orange (red and yellow).

Tertiary Colors

Mix one primary color with larger amounts of another primary color to create tertiary colors. For example, mix one part blue with two parts red to make red-violet.

Be consistent throughout your home to create continuity in your color scheme. With the doors of your rooms open, determine how much of each room you can see from the adjacent room. Plan your color scheme accordingly.
Pick the colors you like best. Four core colors and two patterns should be the maximum -- more creates too much visual stimulation. Additional tips:
ºUse as many accent colors as you like.
ºSelect a dominant color from the core colors to start. Use a particular color scheme: either monochromatic, related or complementary.
If you decide to start with a favorite pattern, match your colors to the pattern. Colors that are dramatically different in the pattern can be accented with light or dark tones of the same shade. You can also use one main color with several tones to create an energetic color scheme.
The wall color is usually the most dominant in the room, so if you're choosing paint for a wall, make sure you know what it will look like:
ºPaint a 2' x 2' color test and allow it to dry. Paint usually dries one to two shades darker.
ºImagine that 2' x 2' section expanded throughout the entire room. A light peach, for example can make a room very pink in a particular light.
Decide where you are going to use the colors in the room. The general rule when decorating is to use three different values: light, medium and dark.
ºWalls and floors are usually done in light colors, depending on the effect you're trying to create.
ºFloors should be a little darker than walls to keep them from "floating."
ºWindow coverings and large pieces of furniture are often done in a medium value to pull the light walls and floors together.
ºThe darkest of the colors should be used as an accent shade scattered throughout the room.

Using Color to Create an Illusion

Produce a visual effect in any room by contrasting different values: light and dark, warm and cool:

You can visually lower a ceiling by painting it darker than the walls.
Make the ceiling seem higher by painting it a lighter color than the walls.
Use dark neutrals or warm colors on walls and floors to visually scale down a large room.
Make a small room look larger by using light, pale colors on the walls, floors and ceilings.

Using Accent Colors to Change a Room

If you enjoy changing the color scheme in your home often, use neutral colors on your walls and floors. Use accessories in a bold accent color to enhance and change the appearance of the room. For instance, you can bring a neutral room to life with electric blue pillows, curtains, scarves and area rugs. Whenever the redecorating mood strikes again, simply mix, match or change the accessories completely. Other ideas:

Use one wall in a room as a focal point. Paint the wall a complementary color or a darker shade of the main color in the room.
Add white to a room to make patterns and colors appear lighter. If you add a dark color, such as black, the darkness of the pattern comes out.
Paint your walls in two bold colors to tie in with a pattern on a rug or chair.

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