There are several generally accepted formulas for creating a color scheme for your home. Here are the three most common:
The first is called the complementary color scheme because it uses complementary colors on the color wheel. This is usually a bold statement. Complementary colors lie directly opposite each other (diagonally across) on the color wheel. Violet and yellow, for instance. Red and green. Or orange and blue. When these combinations are made, each color really pops out at you, which means it seems bolder and more vibrant than it would appear alone or in another color combination. They say opposites attract, but in this case the two colors are "complimenting" each other so vigorously that they both end up a little overflattered. Complementary colors work well for accent pieces or flower gardens, but they can really rev you up emotionally if offered in large quantities, like on walls and floors.
The second color scheme is analogous, which uses colors that lie directly next to each other on the color wheel; we'll call them neighboring colors: blue and violet; red and orange; red and violet; orange and yellow; yellow and green; and green and blue. This color scheme is very agreeable to the eye because each color has a little bit of the other in it. It feels compatible — the way people who have been together for a long time begin to grow together and sometimes even look alike. Use an analogous color scheme, add a splash of a complementary accent (in art, fabrics, pillows and accessories), and you have a great color scheme.
The third is the monochromatic color scheme, which is created with just one color but in varying shades, tints and tones. A shade is a color with a just little black added. A tint is a color with a just little white added to it. A tone is a color with a little gray added. Pink is a tint of red, for instance. Maroon is a shade, and dusty rose is a tone. So a red monochromatic color scheme would have several variations of red in darker and lighter saturations. You'll often see a monochromatic color scheme used with neutrals — like beige, bone and brown. In some ways, it is like your eye is sweeping over the same color as the light shifts through the room, casting shadows here and there.
Color Sentiments
Beige is a neutral that neither threatens nor commits, and provides the foundation for a multitude of color schemes. But alone, it is merely a door ajar. If your whole color scheme rests on beige, you are a person who has classic tastes and usually plays it safe. You might want to look at chucking the decorum a little and taking a shot at that long-lost dream you've buried. Start by bringing some bold accents into your home. Splashes of red, black and orange all marry happily with beige. Injecting your home with color will help to start that motor — it just needs a little gas.
Black is unique in that it doesn't reflect light. Worn on the body, it has come to symbolize the elegant, the somber and the avant-garde. Black will absorb light, which makes it great for nightclubs that want to direct the focus to a lit stage. But on your walls at home it is downright depressing, especially if the finish is flat. On the other hand, highly polished, black lacquered furniture can be quite arresting, although there is a coldness to it, as there is to black leather sofas. In small doses, a glossy black has a glamour about it, but when it overwhelms, the room can become morose and lifeless. Black is a marvelous color for framing, however, because it leaves the image alone and draws your eye in to the artwork.
White is at once devoid of hue and all the colors combined into one. It is often considered pure, and with it comes the sense of purity. But it can also be rather strident and sometimes sterile, which is why you see it in so many hospitals. Worn on the body, white will draw attention — but to the clothing, not to the person wearing it. On your walls, it is no statement at all. It's a blank slate that awaits large and colorful artworks. White is softened and much more agreeable when even tiny quantities of pink, blue or yellow are added.
Yellow is a warm color, perhaps because it is the color of golden sunlight. It is an action color — full of optimism and stimulation. Bright lemon yellow can be grating when used in design, but the more muted variations can soothe and hold you, while allowing a gentle warmth to flow over you. Wearing yellow gives off a sense of being gregarious with a sunny disposition. On your walls, yellow is certainly a beam of summer sunshine. The color got a bad rap decades ago when it was believed to cause depression, but today a whole batch of new tones and tints have emerged, offering a warm and happy character.
Green is considered a quiet, gentle color, but it all depends on the tint. While green is the stuff of nature and can thrill your eyes in the garden, it takes on a whole new dimension in the home. Use it judiciously, especially in carpeting. A carpet of green grass may be relaxing in your front yard, but inside, the same color on your floor can look like bad Astroturf. It is said that people who wear green tend to be earthy and hardworking. On the walls, green evokes a sense of calm and balance. But the changing saturation levels of green can really change the vibe. While hunter green is a definitively levelheaded color, a pale sage green can seem almost inconsequential. People tend to have strong feelings about green, either positive or negative, but marry it with cool blue and a little white and you instantly have a very relaxing country Cape color scheme.
Pink is pure whimsy — full of carefree play and castles in the air. It's a rather excitable color. There is nothing terribly dire or serious about pink. Perhaps that's why so many young girls have their room painted in this hue. Pink has experienced a real resurgence ever since the Legally Blonde movies became big hits with audiences. Many a young girl now associates pink with girl power, as did defiantly feminine fashion queen Coco Chanel many years ago. But pink is not for girls alone. Paired with black, it also offers a Pacific Rim flair. It has an even subtler effect when paired with gray. If you have a frenetic personality, pink will only wind you up more. Manic personalities should stay away from pink. But if you feel sluggish and isolated, a few splashes of it here and there can really perk up a mood. Start with flowers as accents before leaping into a whole room of pink, unless you can keep up with the excitement. Or, find amazing pink bedroom ideas here!
Violet (or purple) is a strong, exciting and ever-so-royal hue. Those who wear it on the body are self-assured, assertive, confident. Those who so paint their walls are unafraid, not easily intimidated and not to be crossed. In the garden, violet will stop you with an astonished "oh!" In your home, it will make your rooms buzz with bravado. Violet is not a color to be taken lightly. It is the color of kings, priests and the war-wounded. It is also associated with the occult. (But tell that to a garden iris.) Even though violet lies on the cool side of the color chart, in saturated tones it can be a bold, aggressive statement. Lightened with white into a tint like lavender, it loses its voice instantly. But paint your walls in full saturation and violet will shout out royally to you every day — so be prepared to bow to it.
Blue is as cool as a winter's day, although it's usually associated with the sea and sky. Blue is the favorite color of Americans, but fares much lower on the preference scale in other nations. Blue is not a threatening color. On the body, blue says "I conform." Just think of the traditional dark blue executive suit or the more commonplace denim jeans. On your walls, a light blue will soothe like a day at the beach. It conveys a sense of tranquility. But go a little darker, and a deep navy hue will pull you into the unfathomable mysteries of the ocean bottom. From space, our planet is a revolving ball of blue. No wonder this color is so popular. Use it for breezy or contemplative environments. It is said to diminish appetite.
Brown simply has gravitas. It is a solid color, grounded and steady. Worn on the body, brown can seem ill-fitting, bland and dull, but in rich textures like leather or corduroy, or in combination with cream or rust, it can give a feeling of pluck and a strong sense of self. Similarly, a deep chocolate brown on the walls is a secure statement, at once dramatic and warm. Brown is the color of the solid earth we tread, the invigorating coffee we imbibe, and the delicious chocolate we savor. These are all very safe, comforting things, and this rich color will bestow that same feeling in your home. But used too much and without contrast, it can quickly become dreary and uninteresting.
Red has long been thought of as the color of passion. It is a hot, energetic color, full of excitement and promise. People who wear red aren't afraid to say, "Look at me, I'm here!" On walls or floors, red says that your home is filled with enthusiasm for life. All are welcome, but expect to engage in lively discourse.
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Excerpted from The Emotional House: How Redesigning Your Home Can Change Your Life by Kathryn L. Robyn and Dawn Ritchie. ©2005. Used with permission.
