Tricks for Adding Color to your Space

One of the hardest things about remodeling or redecorating is deciding on the color pallet you’ll be infusing into the space. There are certain tricks that actually work when we’re trying to pick out the colors we want in our room. Virgie Vincent, interior designer for celebrity clients, shares tips for coloring your domestic world.

 

  1. Try dividing the colors into percentages. Look through some design magazines, paying close attention to the rooms you like the most. You’ll probably find that the percentages of colors present in the room breaks down to a 60-30-10 ratio. The 60 percent hues set the overall theme and unify the color scheme. The 30 percent tone provides visual interest and the 10 percent adds that “pop” that we all like so much. When decorating a room, try to divide the colors in the following ratios:

 

  • 60 percent of our dominant color, meaning the walls
  • 30 percent should be the secondary color, meaning upholstery or rugs
  • 10 percent for the accent or highlight color, meaning an accent item or floral arrangement

 

  1. Scheme up a spectacular color scheme. If you don’t remember your color wheel from high school art class, do a simple Internet search and you’ll find one easily enough. Don’t be afraid to print it out and use it. The two major color schemes are:

 

 

  • Complementary color scheme

 

 

The complementary colors are the ones across from each other on the color wheel: red and green, blue and yellow, purple and orange. Complementary color schemes can give a clear delineation in the hues. These colors are considered more formal and visually stimulating.

 

 

  • Analogous color scheme

 

 

The analogous colors sit beside each other on the color wheel: yellow and green, blue and violet, red and orange. These color combinations are generally considered more casual, restful and muted. An analogous color scheme is found more in informal areas of the home, such as family rooms, dens and bedroom.

 

  1. Bring on the black. All designers know that adding an element of black, even something as small as a black trinket box or picture frame, will clarify and augment all the colors in the room.

 

  1. Light and dark of nature. The lightness or darkness of a color is its value. One side of a room may be dark and the other side light. Arrange your colors to be more in line with the natural value scheme of nature. That makes it feel more, well, natural. Put your darker values on the floor (i.e., the ground). Medium values are for the walls (i.e., mountains and trees). Save the light values of the colors for the ceiling (i.e., the sky). Decorate vertically with the values of natures and you’ll get an interior design that works every time.

 

  1. Let the color flow. To create the flow of color from room to room, all you have to do is choose a color you’re using in one room and carry it over to the next room in a different way. For example, if the seat fabric in your dining room is brown, use the same brown in throw pillows for your sofa in the living room.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *