Color Theory In Interior Design!
Learning and understanding color theory in Interior Design is essential to the process of designing a space. In order for an Interior Designer to create better mood board and color palette to suit your taste, it is important that you come up with an idea in mind about how you want to feel within your environment.
Where to start?
Start off by thinking about the aura of the colors you prefer; do you like warmer or cooler tones? Warm colors are usually red, pink, orange and yellow, while cooler colors are blues, greens, indigo and purple. Warm colors are energizing, and cool colors are calm. Even if you find that colors are too vibrant, and you prefer monochromatic colors such as beige, white, and grey, there are several shades to work with. Decide what type of energy you want your space to exert and use the power of colors to curate your home.
Color Theory 101!
What are the basic colors?
Primary colors: Red, Blue, Yellow (cannot be made from mixing other colors)
Secondary colors: Orange, purple, green (can be made by mixing primary colors)
Tertiary colors: Shades made by mixing primary and secondary colors together.
Helpful tools!
Don’t shy away from using a color wheel! Its more helpful than you think. See what colors blend well together; how many different tints, shades, and tones of blue do you think there are? Test it out by getting samples of colors you want to put in specific areas. Will it go well with your orange carpet? You’d be surprised how often opposite hues can complement each other. Let’s say you have your mind set on one or two particular color, the color wheel will help you pick darker shades, or lighter tints of that specific color.
Tips!
Create a balanced palette
- Choose one dominant color to fill up 60% of the space (most designers will choose a neutral color as their dominant hue as wall colors)
- Select another color to fill up 30% of the space (rugs, pillows, lamps)
- Choose a third hue to fill up 10% of the space. (furniture)
Choosing a balanced palette is important because you don’t want to end up with too much of one hue, this method will allow you to obtain Harmony within your spaces.
Color Meanings!
Every color has a meaning and a type of energy that it presents… With a tremendous power of shaping peoples moods and feelings. Color is also used in marketing to appeal to consumers, and let me tell you, it works! Therefore, choosing the write color is critical to happy living.
Red: Ambition
Orange: Optimism
Yellow: Energy
Green: Growth
Blue: Content
Purple: Passion
Black: Confidence
White: Purity
Choose colors that complement the functionality of the space you are designing. Color has a profound influence on space, and in shaping the way that people feel in it. First of all, if you intend on using this space to relax, you may want to consider inserting cooler tones. Passive colors and neutral tones tend to also have a calming effect and can increase mental focus. Second of all, the use active colors in areas around the house promote activity and stimulate the mind and body, evoking energy and creativity. In response to that, select colors that bring out your personal style; get creative with designing your spaces. Times like these we will truly appreciate the efforts that we put into making our spaces reflect our nature.
Looking for some help when looking at color theory in interior design?
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