Mastering Colour Combinations: Dos And Don’ts for A Cohesive Interior Space

We have gone over the power of colour and creative ways to add it to your homes. We have already learned a lot about colour psychology; now it is time to learn how to master the art of combining colours in the final blog of this series on colour. Colour mixing may seem intimidating, but using these tips, you can mix and match your colours to easily come up with a stylish interior composition that is both stylish and intentional, yet welcoming.

The Basics of Colour Theory

Photo Credit: Chandara

The colour wheel is a tool used to explain the relationship between hues. It is an essential component in colour mixing. These are some of the most widespread colour schemes used for interior spaces:

Monochromatic Colour Scheme: Variations of a single colour of different shades, tints or tones. This generates a peaceful and soothing effect in any location.

Photo Credit: Amir

Analogous Colour Scheme: Colours which are adjacent to one another on the colour wheel (e.g. Blue, blue-green, green). These combinations are comfortable to look at and easy to handle.

Photo Credit: Amir

Complementary Colour Scheme: Colours which are opposite to one another on the wheel (e.g. blue and orange, red and green). These combinations are bold, but energetic as well; however, they will need competence to create harmony in any space.

Photo Credit: Amir

Dos For Mixing Colours:

• Do: Use A Dominant Colour

  Put one primary colour to be the centre of the design and overlay secondary and accent colours.

• Do: Test Samples

  Take paint swatches and stick them up on your walls or material samples, and carry them around the rooms and see how they respond to the various lighting.

• Do: Consider Undertones

  Even neutral colours have either a warm or cool undertone. Ensure that the colours you select have a similar undertone to give them a harmonized outlook.

• Do: Use Patterns

  Patterns that combine several colours can guide your palette and help tie a room together.

  
  

Don’ts For Mixing Colours

• Don’t: Overdo It

  An excessive use of bright colours will cause chaos. Stick to two or three colours and others sparingly.

• Don’t: Ignore The Flow

  Spaces that are open to one another should share at least one colour to create visual continuity.

• Don’t: Forget About the Texture

  Textures bring interest and dimension, especially if you are working with a limited colour palette.

Designing with Flow

So, what does this mean? Through the rule of repetition, establish harmony and uniformity around your home. For open plan spaces or homes with many rooms, repeat certain colours in different ways. Perhaps a teal sofa in the living room, teal dining chairs or table runner in the dining room and teal cushions, table lamps or curtains in the bedroom connect the spaces together. This creates a sense of unity and flow in the entire house.

Photo Credit: Zubair Ideas

Photo Credit: Teeranan

Photo Credit: AhteSham

Photo Credit: HO

Colour Scheme

Three Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Ignoring Natural Light: Colour can appear differently under different lighting. A colour that looks good in the showroom may appear completely different in your home. Always test colour in the actual space before committing to it. This doesn’t just apply to paints but your furnishings as well.

   
   

2. Oversight of the Ceiling (Fifth Wall) and the Floors: Such surfaces can work with or against your selected palette. When picking rugs, flooring, ceiling colour, or ceiling panels, consider your overall scheme.

   
   

3. Forgetting Your Own Personal Style: It is good to be inspired by the trends, but your houses need to be your favourite space that will make you feel comfortable and happy. Trends are always changing, so pick something you want to add to your space for a long time, as it may not be feasible to change your interior with the fast-paced trends.

Taking Inspiration from Existing Styles

Many designers use colours to create their signature looks. To give an example, Scandinavian homes are commonly characterized by dull and soft colour schemes, complemented by splashes of colour, whereas the Mediterranean one uses bright, warm and bold colours.

The art of colour combinations is a science which, with a little bit of knowledge and willingness to experiment, you can make interiors look visually appealing and exclusive to you.

With this blog being the last of our colour series, tell us what you liked the most about our three-part blog series on colours in the comments!

If you missed the previous two blogs in the series, check them out here.

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