The Art of Choosing a Color Scheme

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Nothing transforms your home like color, but choosing the right color scheme for your home or business can baffle even the savviest interior designer. Choosing a color combination doesn’t need to be a stressful ordeal. At Guild Hall, we specialize in creating exquisite spaces with fine furnishings, decorative accessories and the number one tool in any designer’s toolbox: color.  Here we offer you fool-proof design tricks to achieve a harmonious color scheme that reflects your personal style and preferences.

Find color inspiration in room elements

When it comes time to choose a color scheme for your home or business, it can be tempting to dash out to the paint store to pick out custom paint colors right away. Resist this urge. Unless you’re absolutely set on painting the living room sunflower yellow or the bathroom robin’s nest blue, spend some time finding color inspiration in already existing pieces. Paint and wallpaper is relatively inexpensive and easy to change; room elements such as home furnishings, custom window coverings, and flooring are harder to replace.

Start your search for the perfect color scheme by looking at the room elements that you love. A beloved tapestry, loveseat, or work of art can become the source of inspiration and starting point for an entire color scheme. Pluck colors that you love from a rug, painting, or even a favorite pillow, and use them to create a uniquely custom color scheme.

Consider the mood you want to set

Dark colors can add depth and richness to a room. Pastels create a feeling of airiness and comfort. How do you want your space to feel? Sophisticated, cheerful, serene? Color, perhaps more so than any other home décor element, evokes specific moods. In general, if you want the space to feel calming, create a color scheme that uses soft lavenders, light blues and grays, and cool neutrals. A monochromatic color scheme that is heavy on neutrals is perhaps the calmest color scheme you can create.

If you want a space to feel lively and energized, choose a color scheme with high contrast between colors. High contrast colors are shades that are opposite of each other on a color wheel. Think yellow and purple, red and green, or blue and orange. The key to creating a high-contrast color scheme that works well is balance. When using high-contrast colors, the rule of thumb is that one color should be more dominant. For instance, a dark purple would best be paired with a light yellow.

Use the dark, light and bright rule

Confused by color? Many designers live by the dark, light and bright rule. As you develop your color scheme, using a mix of values within your color scheme (value simply refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a color) can help create a balanced and harmonious palette. If you’re developing a red monochromatic color scheme, for example, you’ll want to select one dark shade of red, one light red, and one bright red.

Developing a color scheme that you love goes a long way in making your home or business comfortable, stylish and evocative. As you prepare to make a color commitment, remember that the style experts at Guild Hall can help with all your home furnishings, decorative accessories and professional interior design needs.