Do these colors speak to you?

The colors of the rainbow in plumes of smoke Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

What about these?

Greenish seeds inside brown pots Photo by Andrey Bond on Unsplash

Or these?

A bouquet of orange and yellow flowers Photo by Larisa Birta on Unsplash

Selecting a color palette for your decorating project is very personal, but it's not hard to do. Try one of these methods to select colors that are right for you!

  1. Find inspiration around you

  2. Think about mood

  3. Check the Color Wheel

  4. Follow the 60/30/10 rule

Find Inspiration Around You

Clothes

This outfit might inspire a palette that includes a gray background with pops of red and black.

Textiles

Do you already have pillows, curtains, or fabric that you love? Use those for color inspiration.

This pillow has personality, texture, and a vibrant color palette!

Try a white background along with pinks and blues in bold hues.

Nature

What better way to get inspired than to take a stroll through nature?

Autumn leaves Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash

Animals

You'll find marvelous color combinations in the animal kingdom!

peacock Photo by David Everett Strickler on Unsplash

Guess The Palette

Tia's Decor

Tia has a classic style and tends to wear clothes in soft shades of pink and blue. Which of these palettes might be best for her decor?

A: black & white; B: yellow, brown & grey; C: purple, yellow & pink; D: red, orange, blue, and black

Quiz

Which palette should Tia select?

Mood

Decide what mood you want to create:

Photo by Jay Castor on Unsplash Photo by Jay Castor on Unsplash

Cool and lighter tones like green, blue and pastels, are soothing.

Photo by bady abbas on Unsplash Photo by bady abbas on Unsplash

Warm and bright colors like red, orange, and jewel tones, are energizing.

Quiz

What mood do you think a black and white color palette creates?

Check The Color Wheel

A color wheel showing different types of color combinations

The Color Wheel

Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. Using them together provides a lot of drama and contrast.

Analogous colors are next to each other create a cohesive look. Professional decorators recommend using 2-3 analogous colors in a row, and adding small amounts of a contrasting color .

TONE IT!

You can tone the purecolors of the color wheel by going lighter or darker.

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Examples:

  • Pure red and pure green might not result in a pleasing color scheme, but pink (light red) and light green look great together!

  • Pure purple along with pure yellow might be overwhelming, but eggplant (dark purple) and gold (dark yellow) go well.

Follow The 60/30/10 Rule

Using colors in the following amounts will always result in a harmonious and professional look!

  • 60% of your main color

  • 30% of a secondary color

  • 10% of an accent color

Pie chart displaying 60/30/10 ratios.

Choose the Palette

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Quiz

Rico paints the walls red and buys blue chairs. What accent color should he choose?

Take Action

Jump into your next decorating project!

Man jumping above a colorful background

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