As a homeowner, it’s essential to make each space feel lively, unique, and stylish. That said, it can be challenging to decide on the best ways to go about it. After all, there are various methods for upping your interior design game, and all of them are valuable.
But the best place to start is with your color schemes for each room. Take some time to delve into the three rules of interior color every homeowner should know so that you can add your personal touch to all of your favorite rooms.
The 60-30-10 Rule
Any interior design lover can benefit from using what experts refer to as the 60-30-10 rule. It isn’t hard to see why. After all, this particular rule transcends personal tastes and ensures that your favorite spaces have a balanced color scheme, regardless of individual aesthetic.
Essentially, this rule asks you to use three colors in your design. You start by selecting a dominant shade to serve as the backdrop of your palette. This shade will take up approximately 60 percent of your space (hence the 60 in 60-30-10). Your dominant color should be on the neutral side.
When you select your second shade, go with something slightly bolder, but not by too much. Then, when it’s time to choose a color for the smaller portion of your space, choose a super bold accent to add pops of vibrancy into your palette.
The Complementary Scheme Rule
Of course, having a complementary color scheme is among the rules of interior color every homeowner should know. Moreover, it’s one of the simplest. This is because you need to use only two colors to pull it off.
This color rule uses two shades that lie on the opposite ends of the color wheel. For instance, potential combinations could include yellow and purple or blue and orange. As you can imagine, this rule tends to create some pretty striking results when you use it properly.
The key to this color rule is using these bright, high-contrast colors in small doses or as accent shades. Then, fill the blanks with more neutral tones to soften things up a bit. In any case, this is an excellent interior design rule for the homeowner who finds their true north in creating bold, high-energy spaces.
The Warm vs. Cool Rule
Another color rule worth knowing is the warm vs. cool effect. This one probably sounds pretty familiar, thanks to art teachers everywhere. But just in case you’re unaware—reds, oranges, yellows, and even browns are warm colors due to their vividness. On the other hand, blues, purples, greens, and grays usually rank as cool colors due to their slightly calmer energy.
And the shades you choose to adorn a space with will dictate its overall aesthetic. For instance, cool colors often have a calming effect on an area. Thus, they’re ideal for bedrooms and office spaces where relaxation is key.
Conversely, warm colors tend to bring inviting and upbeat energy into a space. That’s why they’re usually best for communal areas, like the kitchen. Understanding this rule will help you decide on a scheme you love for each part of your home. But more than that, it will help you sort out the logistics, like how you plan to go about painting and staining your interior features and which brands you’ll use.
However, you choose to decorate your home, knowing how to use color schemes to make a space pop is essential to creating something cozy, inviting, and stylish. Hopefully, this quick overview gave you equal doses of insight and inspiration that you can apply to your interior designs!
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