Selecting a pleasing color palette for a room can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to begin. In this article I’ve got four easy tips to follow to help you get you started on your color quest.
by Claire Cavalieri, interior designer
1 Choose Colors from an Inspiration Piece
An inspiration piece is usually the largest patterned item in the room, such as an area rug or perhaps a painting.
An area rug can be the source of inspiration for the color palette in your room
2 The Rule of 3
Choose no more than 3 colors you like from your inspiration piece. At least one color should be a neutral tone such as black, brown, gray, navy, or perhaps white. The remaining 2 colors are called accent colors. This color scheme can be reversed: there can be 2 neutral colors and one accent color if you prefer such as black & white plus a color like red or yellow. You can also just select 2 colors for your color palette if you prefer. Or if you’d rather, simply choose one color which is called monochromatic.
3 Choose a Wall Paint Color
If you need to choose a wall paint color for your room, look to your inspiration piece and select a lighter tone such as white, beige, or gray. To boost the drama in your room to the next level, you might want to paint an accent wall with one of your accent colors.
An accent wall creates a focal point in a room and adds drama
To be certain you’re selecting the correct accent paint shade and painting the preferred accent wall, it’s a good idea to consult your interior designer first. Mistakes can be costly!
4 Consider Contrasting Colors
When choosing your color palette, consider selecting contrasting colors. Contrasting colors are on opposing sides of the Color Wheel and are contrary in temperature: warm tones vs cool tones. For example, red and green; yellow and blue.
When choosing colors for your room, it’s useful to refer to a color wheel to ensure color coordination
What is desirable about contrasting colors? Contrast heightens excitement in a room by triggering interest, building tension, drawing the eye, and creating drama. Overall, contrast is a design preference.
Your Own Personalized Color Consultation
These are four great tips to help you choose a desirable color palette when you are preparing to decorate or refresh a room. If you’d prefer to have professional design help to prevent indecision, time lost, or costly mistakes, reach out to me any time for a color consultation.
Claire Cavalieri
214.206.5515
Cavalieri Designs cavalieridesigns.com
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