4 Tips for Choosing the Right Color Palette for Each Room
When it comes to decorating and painting a room, everyone has their own unique preferences. Some people prefer to stick to one color only. Others, however, find this look drab and prefer to mix and match colors. If you’re in the second category, chances are that you’ll end up with a more vibrant, aesthetically pleasing space, providing you choose the right color palette.
Not all colors go together, and some colors that you wouldn’t expect complement each other surprisingly well. Thus, balancing your preferences with an understanding of colors and how they coordinate is the key to choosing the right color palette for each room. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry. These tips can help you create beautiful, well-blended rooms.
Tip #1: Don’t Commit To Paint Right Away
Often, people think that the first step in choosing a room’s color palette is determining their desired paint colors. However, this approach is a bit backwards. Instead, spend some time exploring interior design inspiration sources first. You can browse social media sites, look through books, or look at sample designs from your interior designer. This kind of exploration gives you a clearer picture of the vision, look, and feel that you’re striving for.
From there, you can start thinking about the type of furniture and general decor you’d like to include. As you find items you like, look at the different colors they come in, and experiment with your options to see what goes well together. After you’ve selected some complementary pieces, choosing your paint scheme will be a lot easier.
Tip #2: Remember, You Don’t Have To Start From Scratch
Designing entire rooms that have never been decorated before is fun. However, if you have a pre-established room, keep in mind that you don’t have to start completely over. If you find yourself in this situation, take a moment to look around and see what you already have going for you. Maybe, for example, you have a beautiful bay window that lets light into the room and can serve as a solid focal point. Or, perhaps you absolutely love your rugs or carpeting.
Whatever the case may be, it’s often easier to work your color pallet and other design elements around items or architectural features you already have in place. As an added bonus, you won’t have to throw out anything you love because it doesn’t fit with your new aesthetic. Plus, you can save money since you won’t have to splurge on brand new features and room accessories.
Tip #3: Aim For A Carefully Chosen Color Combination
Sometimes, when styling a room, people tend toward a more monochromatic color scheme. While there’s nothing wrong with that, keep in mind that the best palettes are true palettes. In other words, they should be comprised of more than just one color and, ideally, more than just several shades of one color.
More often than not, the best and most stylish rooms are created using a mix of hues. For best results, you should aim to combine darker and lighter primary colors or their offshoots into something colorful, creative, and cohesive. Of course, this can be difficult to achieve, particularly if you’re not familiar with color theory, which is why many people find it helpful to work with a knowledgeable interior designer. Even if you don’t work with a professional, simply holding up varying color swatches together and examining how different colors fit and blend together can be beneficial. The goal is simply to choose complementary colors that combine into something beautiful.
Tip #4: Don’t Be Afraid To Go With Your Gut
Colors and feelings are related. A bright yellow hue, for instance, might make you feel sunny and happy while gray colors could feel more somber and sullen. With that said, though, the relationship between colors and feelings is personal. While it’s valuable to pay attention to color psychology, you may have feelings that are different from the average person, and it’s important to acknowledge those. In short, think about how different color schemes make you feel right from the start.
The colors you choose are colors you will see and experience every time you enter the room they comprise. Thus, you have to pick colors that make you feel good and that project the exact mood and vibe you want for each room. Listen to your gut, trust yourself, and don’t be afraid to bring feelings into the mix when choosing your palette.
Additional Concepts To Consider
While these four tips should serve you well on your color journey, there are a few more things that are worth thinking about. To start, remember that each individual room is part of a larger whole. So, while you have to think about what you envision for each room, you also have to consider how it fits into your home as a whole. Ideally, each room will fit together and create a comprehensive, beautifully complex style that fits your house, your tastes, and your personality.
Additionally, never forget that you live in a digital era with all kinds of readily available tools and tricks. Go online and create a digital mock-up of color possibilities. Download a free color matching app, or explore complementary colors online. It doesn’t really matter how you do it, but you should leverage the tools at your disposal to create an interior design scheme you’ll love.
As a final word of advice, the best ideas typically come from teamwork. While there’s nothing wrong with coming up with your home design color palette all on your own, a little help can go a long way. You can ask friends and loved ones for their opinions, but nothing beats the advice and sharp eye of a professional interior designer. Hiring a pro to guide you on this journey can be incredibly rewarding and is the surest way to end up with a home that you’ll be proud of.