Some people feel overwhelmed with their options when picking a good color scheme. There are several decisions you have to make. You must decide how many colors you want, which colors, and how much of each color. This page provides tips and advice for choosing the best interior design color schemes. You will also learn basic rules for considering lighting, and room size, and how to start the planning process for the best color combinations.

Do Your Research: Finding your ideal color palette

If you find yourself stuck and unable to find a place to start, below are a few ways to find inspiration.

Nature

Looking at nature can be a great way to find inspiration for creating a color palette. You can look at nature in person or at an image. Consider different types of scenery such as a forest, ocean, or field. Looking at a beach helps design a coastal color scheme. Exploring a forest can provide an array of greens that evoke a sense of tranquility and connection to the earth. The feathers or fur of animals will also allow you to see color palette ideas.

Media Outlets

Searching through media outlets can help spark inspiration. Viewing home renovations on social media sites like Instagram or Pinterest can provide good examples. You can look for examples online by searching for images.  You can also use home decor magazines or TV shows to see more professional interior design color schemes.

Generators and Color Tools

Several websites and color tools allow you to generate color palettes. These tools allow you to look at an unlimited combination of color schemes. Many of the tools are user-friendly. 

Consult a Paint Expert

If you are truly stuck on what to do for paint colors, consider talking to an expert. Paint experts at your local paint store can help you. Consulting a specialist trained to match colors will ensure coherence and add a professional touch.

Implementation: Bringing ideas to life

After researching colors and gathering inspiration, it is time to implement what you found and choose your color scheme. Most people will think they have done the most part. However, implementing those colors to life is the real challenge when putting proper color techniques into play.

Maintain a Ratio of Interior Color Palettes

According to the Interaction Design Foundation, Color theory is the study of how colors work together and how they affect our emotions and perceptions. Color theory plays a major factor when choosing a color palette. Here are a few rules or guidelines to follow.

A common rule followed by interior designers is the 60-30-10 rule. This means that 60% of the room is the primary or dominant color, 30% is the secondary color, and 10% is the accent color. 

• Dominant Color: Covers the largest areas of the room such as walls, floors, and large furniture pieces. A neutral color scheme is typically used for the dominant colors.

• Secondary Color: Supports the dominant color and adds contrast and interest to the room. Secondary colors typically cover small furniture, curtains, bed linings, and window coverings. 

• Accent Color: This is the color that adds emphasis and makes something pop. Use the accent color for small accessories, decorative items, or throw pillows. For a dynamic contrast, use a warm color if most of your colors are cool.

Remember that the 60-30-10 rule is more like a guideline. If you use two colors, consider the 80-20 rule where 80% of the colors are neutral and 20% are accent colors. You can also use the 70-20-10 rule. Using too many colors may be overwhelming, designers recommend using three to five colors for your home’s color palette.

Consider an Accent Wall

An accent wall is a wall that is painted a different color than the other walls in your home. Painting one wall a different color draws attention to a part of a room that would otherwise receive less attention. An accent wall typically contrasts drastically from the rest of the room.

Take Note of the Lighting

Colors may look different when light is shining on the wall. When selecting your interior color combinations, you must consider how the colors will look under natural and artificial lighting. Here is how to handle both types of lighting.

Natural Lighting

How the light shines on your wall will affect how people perceive the colors. The direction the light comes from will also make a difference. North-facing rooms will bring in soft light making colors look warmer. Dark paints will appear darker while light paints will look more dim. Dark colors will look more vibrant and bright if your room receives south-facing light exposure. Light colors can seem faded or washed out.

Rooms with more exposure from the east will bring in more light in the morning and less in the evening. West-facing rooms will have the opposite effect, bringing in more light in the evening and less in the morning. Strategically using artificial light can help.

Artificial Light

Different types of artificial light affect your room, so it is important to know the different types.

• Incandescent lights: Also known as LED lights, these make bright colors like red, orange, and yellow more intense while cooler colors like green, blue, and gray will seem more muted.

• Vintage bulbs: These bulbs add a warm, yellow hue to a room. They are recommended to complement warm colors in rooms that receive an inadequate amount of natural sunlight.

• Fluorescent lights: Enhances cool colors by giving off a blue light while making warm colors seem dull. 

Combining natural and artificial light can help balance the pros and cons of each. Be mindful of where the sun comes into a room and what light bulbs you use.

Size Perception

The color you choose can change the perception of the room size. You can make a small room feel bigger or make a larger room feel smaller depending on the colors. Here are some tips on making a room feel bigger or smaller.

Enlarging a Room

To open up a space, consider lighter and softer colors. The light will reflect off of the walls and make surfaces seem bigger. Designers usually do this in smaller rooms. To enhance the 3D effect in these areas, experiment with various shades of your chosen light color palette. Layering pastels or whites can add depth and dimension to a space.

Compacting a Room

If you are trying to make a room feel smaller, consider using stronger and darker colors. These colors will absorb the natural light to give a cozier feel. This is usually done in larger rooms that you want to feel smaller.

Conclusion

Remember that choosing a color palette is not an exact science, but it helps to use the above tips as a guideline. Find inspiration for the color scheme you want with numerous methods including, looking at nature, checking media outlets, playing with a generator, and consulting a painting expert. To ensure you don’t have too much or too little of a certain color, maintain a good ratio. One way to do this is to follow the 60-30-10 rule. Be mindful of how your color choice can make a room feel bigger or smaller. 

Create an accent wall to draw extra attention to one part of a room. Note where and when natural light shines into a room so you can plan accordingly. For artificial light, be mindful of what light you use and what color choices can balance them. 

With these tips, you are ready to start designing your home.