Choosing wall colours for your home as you go can not only be stressful and exhausting but also prevent your home from achieving a cohesive look! When you choose wall colours for each room without a clear colour palette in mind, one or two rooms almost always end up being disjointed from the rest of the house. But don’t worry, using one colour palette for your home doesn’t mean a boring, matching house. It’s all about using one colour through your home in many different ways!
Make the sometimes confusing process of choosing a colour palette for your home a little easier with these 7 simple steps:
There are always some colours in your home that you are stuck with! Fixtures, furniture, cabinets, flooring, wall tiles & countertops are all eventually a part of your home’s colour scheme and must be considered when choosing your wall colours.The best way to create a cohesive colour scheme for your whole home is to identify the undertones of the fixed elements and make a decision to either match & compliment them throughout your home or choose colours to contrast them.
Choosing a colour scheme can be overwhelming but worry not! Simply start by identifying how you want your home to feel - warm, cozy, bold or lively and your favorite colour. There are three basic colour schemes for you to choose from:
A monochromatic colour scheme is one where you use one single colour throughout your home but in different tints, tones and shades. This colour scheme is perfect if you want a more neutral and muted colour palette for your home.
Also called harmonious, this colour scheme uses colours next to each other on the colour wheel: blue, green, yellow or purple, red, orange. Using this colour scheme for your home is a great choice if a warm, relaxing and calm colour palette is what you’re going for.
Complementary colours are those which are directly opposite each other on the colour wheel: blue and orange, purple and yellow, red and green. Rooted in the concept of contrasting colours, this colour scheme is perfect if you want a bold, energetic and lively feel to your home.
Neutral colours are the most important in your colour palette as they tie together the rest of your colours. The first step is to choose a hue of white which will be used as the default colour for the trims, doors, window panels, etc. Next, its time to choose the neutral hue that will be your go-to colour for all connected areas in your home like open spaces, hallways, and lofts. Also perfect for closets and bathrooms, you can choose from neutral colours that are warm (beige, brown or warm white with undertones of yellow or pink), cool (grey, black or cool white with undertones of blue or green), greige (a mixture of grey and beige).
The boldest and most pronounced part of your colour palette, this colour will either be the darkest or lightest in your colour palette. The rule of thumb for picking your colour is choosing a colour that either matches or contrasts the undertones of your fixed elements and your chosen colour scheme (from step 1 and 2 above).
This colour will literally be the bold colour’s best friend! If a contrasting colour scheme is what you’re going for, choose a tint (or lighter version) of your bold colour. And, if a matching colour scheme is your choice, go for a hue next to your bold colour on the colour wheel (if your bold colour is red, you can opt for a purple or blue).
Used very sparingly throughout your home, this hue will be used to add drama, effect and dimension to your home’s overall colour scheme. The easiest and safest choice here is to choose a neutral colour that contrasts your default colours!
The best way to ensure cohesive colour throughout your home is to choose a 5 colour palette- a shade of white, neutral colour and 3 other colours. However, this does not mean that you cannot add any more colours to your home. The key is to extend your colour palette while sticking to the 5 colour rule!
And there you have it, an easy to understand guide to choosing your home’s colour palette. Remember, it’s not about creating a matchy-matchy living space but about choosing a colour scheme where every colour plays off and reacts to each other to create a distinct but cohesive look!
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