Picking color palette is a very exciting part of interior design for most of our clients, but it can also be the most daunting one. With so many colors and countless shades to choose from, it can be a tricky challenge even for designers.
Choosing the Color Preference
The overall scheme of colors or the main palette is usually set with the mood board. Depending on the concept and the impression you want to achieve, you start from one main basic palette. It can be inspired by colors of something in nature, art movement or style, or something quite different.
Start With Formal Areas
Areas such as living room, entryway, and dining room are usually the most frequent, so begin from there, based on the mood board and concept mentioned above. Then, pull one color from, for example, the sofa color in the living room or the carpet shade and use that color strategically to some elements in the neighboring areas (entryway, dining room, kitchen).
Color Harmony and Contrast
Using the color wheel is almost always the safe choice. For bedrooms and private areas, if you want to achieve harmony then go for the neighboring colors in the color wheel, like green with blue.
Whatever color you choose, it is a good idea to have some element in black, it really sets and clarifies the other colors in the room.
The Rule 60-30-10
An informal rule for achieving color balance in a room is to divide the colors in the room into the ratio of 60 – 30 – 10. Let 60 percent of the room be in a dominant color, 30 percent in the secondary color, and 10 percent in the accent color (some catchy details). For example, walls and floors (with or without carpets) usually take up the major part, secondary colors may be the upholstery or the curtains, and the last minor accents can be elements such as art pieces, pillows, lamp shades, paintings…
Your Personal Style
Color choice is very personal. Go for something that represents your personal style, a good idea might be your clothing color palette. In the end, it is mostly about feeling comfortable being in the room and with the colors that surround you.