The Color Skeptic’s Guide to Color Theory in Interior Design | Wit & Delight

There are many reasons why people avoid using color in their home decor and clothing choices. Personal preferences are often the reason given by myself and others when describing my black, white, and gray wardrobe, or the mostly neutral palette of our previous home.

When we bought our new home, it was originally suggested that I paint it all white or a neutral shade. I thought having white walls would be the best way to start fresh. What surprised me, however, was how energizing the color of our home was and how it affected my mood. That got me thinking about why we shy away from big commitments like colorful paints. Aside from assuming that we are not “color lovers,” is the reason we avoid it and in part because using color requires a very different design process? Maybe that, without understanding color theory, might be a little intimidating?

I believe that one of the reasons we have been able to live with bright colors on our walls is that I have some basic knowledge of color theory and that I have arranged the furniture we have collected over the years with color theory in mind.

So today, I’m going to explain a little crash course in color theory.

What is Color Theory?

Color theory is the science behind how we process and interpret colors. It includes different types of color combinations, proportions of each color, and results in specific recommended uses of color. The best way to think about it as a basis for understanding the general interpretation of color, because each of us will see color in a different way and give it different meanings based on our experience and the sensitivity of the interior.

In short, the color wheel is a guide to understanding color and how we process it in certain combinations.

A fun little history fact—Sir Isaac Newton created the first color wheel. Since then, artists, scientists, and other creators have used it as a base, foundation, and framework for using color in a variety of ways. This time, we will be talking about color in interior design.

Color theory is the science behind how we process and interpret colors. It includes different types of color combinations, proportions of each color, and results in specific recommended uses of color.

The color wheel consists of three elements primary colors—blue, yellow, and red—from all the other colors. When primary colors are mixed, they create green, orange, and purple. These are called secondary colors. And if the secondary colors are mixed with the primary colors, you have it six higher colorssuch as blue-green and red-orange.

Adding black and white changes the shade and tint of these twelve basic hues, creating a whole world of complex design decisions to be made.

Something that helps me a lot is to consider color theory as a way to keep color choices from overwhelming. If you draw a straight line down the center of the color wheel, you will see it’s cool again warm colors on both sides. The color wheel will tell us that red and green will always create an interesting harmony because that’s what we call it complementary colors– two hues placed opposite each other on the color wheel.

Choosing complementary colors is the easiest—and most unique—way to create a color scheme. A few other ways to choose a color scheme include:

Three: You can determine a triadic color scheme by drawing a triangle on the color wheel. This will result in a clear, bright palette with different hues that still complement each other well.

Monochromatic: Building a monochromatic color schemechoose one main hue and add different shades (add black to the hue), tints (add white to the hue), or tones (add gray to the hue). This will create a more subtle color scheme. You can see an example of how shades interact with shades and tints in the first image shown above.

Similar: An same color scheme it includes colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel, such as red, magenta, and violet, or blue, blue, and green.

There Are No Bad Colors, Just Bad Color Choices

Understanding how color psychology is baked into the color wheel helps give you the tools to make fewer mistakes. Where we go wrong with color is usually in two areas: the intended use of the space (and the mood you need to create) and average of colors used based on the intensity of the hues.

How Color Sets Mood

Color is more than a person’s preference. When you’re in a space, the way your eye interprets color and color combinations affects how you experience the space—both your general mood and overall comfort level.

You may have negative memories or experiences from your childhood that have influenced how you feel about certain colors today. If you’re a sensitive person, like me, that experience can be hard to put into words. This is where I like to start when thinking about design options for a room, because without considering the intended use of the space and the mood you want to create, color theory is just an idea.

For example, blues, plums, and jewel tones will bring a rich yet cool feel to a room, which works well in areas like a study, library, or living room. Bright, warm colors like yellow, chartreuse, and red can bring the perfect life to kitchens, dining rooms, playrooms, and even family rooms.

Color Proportions Matter

I will use my house as an example. The original owners of the home chose such bright colors of paint and used them extensively, it is almost a small space and has a complete mood of the room. So we decided to bring you a selection of furniture that can withstand such heavy use of bright colors.

In our peach room, we chose a pattern with pinks, blues, and greens to provide visual interest, then added neutral pieces of furniture in different fabrics (woven cotton and velvet) to balance the palette and provide rest areas. In the yellow room, we brought in blue velvet chairs and bright magenta flowers to help tone down the yellow shade wonderfully.

Bold colors need bold accents, but when they’re contrasting—like peach and green or yellow and navy—you’ll need to strike a balance without creating a situation where the bold colors will clash. Getting the color balances right is where the art of interior design really shines.

Neutral IS a Color

The biggest lesson for neutral color lovers is to look at colors that work as neutrals. Lavender is a good example, as is the sea. Just enough gray-green in it brings out the vibe you want; it also allows enough flexibility for the self-taught interior designer to make some unconventional decorating choices that are bolder but less permanent than choosing a bold and saturated paint color or wallpaper.

We have to ask ourselves why we avoided color in the first place. . . . Can we learn to think of color as a necessary part of the design equation that discards trends and instead enhances the experience we have within a space?

If there’s anything to take away from this little color lesson, it’s to ask ourselves why we avoided color in the first place. Is it because of the fear of committing to something that might make us “sick”? Can we learn to think of color as a necessary part of the design equation that discards trends and instead enhances the experience we have within a space?

I would encourage you to use color theory as your guide when introducing color in your home, while bringing your own preferences and what feels best to you into the space. Color theory is both a science and an art—one that depends on your personal input.

I don’t know if I would have asked myself these questions if I hadn’t entered a colorful house that I wouldn’t have chosen. But it certainly changed the way I would design every area of ​​the home and the way I would think about color and space forever.