This part seems to be one of the most challenging amongst our clients, but it doesn’t have to be with this little cheat sheet we’ve created. We’ve got you covered on everything from the psychology behind each color, how to create a palette that doesn’t clash, and of course even our favorite apps for color including painting a room, professional color palettes, and virtually testing pieces in your space.
First thing to be done when choosing colors to incorporate is deciding just how many colors you’ll use throughout the entire home. I generally recommend no more than four otherwise it can get a little chaotic feeling. Of course, there are many exceptions to this rule, but unless you have a serious design eye, it can be a bit more challenging. The next step would be to choose just how bold or subtle you’d like the colors to appear in your space – are you planning for a bright blue sofa that’s the focal point of the room? If that’s the case, perhaps just using different shades of that blue and some patterns in that space would be sufficient without being overwhelming.
If you’re still not sure which colors to commit to, check back to your Pinterest inspiration board and see which colors appear and reappear throughout the photos you’re drawn to. Or perhaps you’ll notice that you’re not drawn to colors at all and that the majority of the photos you’ve saved are mainly neutral palettes. If that’s the case (much like myself), there’s an easy way to still add visual interest to your home. Some of my favorite ways to do this are through neutral patterns and of course a lot of texture! If it still seems like it needs a little extra but you’re not sure if you can really commit to a few colors for good, try only incorporating color in small pieces of décor that are easy to swap out with the seasons or whenever you get sick of them, such as accent pillows, candles, throw blankets, etc. And never, ever, forget to add greenery – it’ll bring extreme life even to the most neutral of spaces.
The next thing we must discuss, which many people tend to overlook not knowing the importance, is how different colors make us feel. Yes, that’s right, there’s some pretty serious psychology behind the colors we use in our home, but even more so with colors used to market different products to us. We can have some fairly extreme physical reactions to certain colors. So, if you want your bedroom to be calm, don’t add a red accent wall, for example.
Blue
Pros: Intelligence, trust, tranquility, love, loyalty
Cons: Coldness, fear, masculinity
Where to use: bedroom
Green
Pros: healing, freshness, money, growth
Cons: jealousy, guilt
Where to use: kitchen
Purple
Pros: royalty, spirituality, ambition
Cons: moody, mystery
Where to use: home office
Turquoise
Pros: healing, protection, sophisticated
Cons: feminine, envy
Where to use: walk in closet, bathroom
Red
Pros: love, energy, power, passion
Cons: danger, anger
Where to use: front door, statement furniture
Pink
Pros: happy, feminine, healthy, playful
Cons: immature, weak
Where to use: easy accent color in any space when used as a pastel pink; master bath
Yellow
Pros: energy, sun, happy, creative
Cons: unstable, irresponsible
Where to use: anywhere you need creativity – kitchen, office, closet
Orange
Pros: success, confidence, friendliness
Cons: sluggishness, ignorance
Where to use: a stimulating color like red, so use anywhere but the bedroom
Brown
Pros: earthy, outdoors, natural
Cons: conservative, dogmatic
Where to use: natural pieces such as leather or wood finishes (mix with white, black, and color to avoid looking to monochromatic)
Gray
Pros: security, solid, reliable
Cons: gloomy, conservative, sad
Where to use: can be used for large-scale pieces as a great neutral, but not to be over-used within one room
Black
Pros: formal, dramatic, protection
Cons: mystery, death, evil
Where to use: literally anywhere – makes a dramatic impact in any space, especially when used in a dramatic way such as an accent wall, large bed frame, or powder room
White
Pros: purity, clean, fresh
Cons: sterile, emptiness, isolation
Where to use: acts as a clean canvas, use anywhere you want to spark creativity, or create a light and airy feel such as a bedroom
I’m not suggesting adding a different accent color in each room, but if you’re stumped on where to start and how you want a particular area to feel, the above is a good guideline. You can absolutely carry the same accent colors throughout the home as well, but consider using a muted version of a vibrant color if it sparks an emotion you don’t want for that space.
Color Schemes and Palettes
There are no real “rules” when it comes to color schemes, but the easiest way to avoid clashing is by choosing multiple colors from the same end of the color spectrum: cool or warm, or opposites on the color wheel. However, be careful that you don’t choose colors too close together that feel like a shade off and don’t have any real contrast. These will blend together in an awkward way that will make one look like the washed out version of the other.
A bolder way to pick a color combination for your home is through using the triangle, square, or rectangle method. These colors complement each other, without being too close and blending.
The only real decorating habits I have when it comes to using colors in different spaces, is to avoid ones that spark very particular emotions such as red and green which are associated with Christmas, or orange and black which immediately make us think of Halloween. This is simply to avoid having a space that appears too themed and out of season. Another way I like to incorporate color that isn’t too bold is by only selecting one accent color and tying it into each room, but in a slightly different way. Whether it’s through a paint color, curtains, a patterned rug, etc.
If you truly love a color, it’s completely okay to be very bold with it. However, I generally recommend avoiding going too trendy with any large-scale items or colors as you will feel like your space is outdated in just a couple years. If you’re head over heels with a new trend and find that you’re not a person that jumps on every bandwagon, then go for it!
Our favorite color planning apps:
Pantone Studio: used to build and create palettes to test on 3D-rendered materials and designs
Paint Tester: virtually try paint on your walls
Color Capture: app by Benjamin Moore that lets you take a photo of anything and it will match you to a paint color that’s closest
Color911: professionally picked and custom color palettes
Houzz: can virtually place items in your home to see how the color, size, etc., looks