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January 20th, 2024
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Verified Expert in Interior Design
With over 11 years of experience in interior design and kitchen design, Ekta has worked on a wide range of projects from residential to commercial. She is currently leading the design team at Infinite Ideas Interiors, India.
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Interior Color Schemes
Interior design is a work of art and science. You cannot have one without the other if you want to create a beautiful living space for your client. Years of study are required to understand the significance of floor plans, room layouts, furniture placement, choosing decor, and more. But the most important aspect of this mind-blowing profession is learning about color ideas.
A good interior design implements the most thoughtful color scheme. Simply choosing the interior paint colors is not enough. There are various factors to take into account starting with:
Answering all these questions is vital to understanding how to produce an effective color scheme for a home that resonates with the homeowner. An interior color palette is a meticulous and well-thought-out selection and strategic placement of colors help revive the occupants of the house. This visual language of colors dictates people’s influence and experience in that home.
Also, Read: 20 Ways To Add Color To Your Home Without Painting
When creating an appealing color scheme, it is vital as a designer to let your creative juices flow. But it’s not always necessary to reinvent the wheel. There are tons of pre-existing color palettes that you can play with for a rejuvenating effect.
These can also be a good foundation for you to build advanced color schemes if the homeowners have a penchant for certain shades or a negative reaction to colors that you need to avoid.
Let’s consider some of the typical color schemes we have seen.
Colors located at the opposite ends of the color wheel are termed complementary colors. The concept of a complementary color scheme is to bring out the character of the contrasting color.
The rule of thumb for implementing a complementary color scheme is to use one subtle and one dominant color to avoid undertones or overtones.
If the client is looking for dramatic effects during the home makeover, the split contemporary color scheme involving alternating the primary colors is your best bet.
For bold nuances, you can choose a primary color, then complement it with the two immediate shades on either side. This dramatic effect can help you create a unique statement as a designer, especially when creating sectionals or focal points.
In this age of minimalism, monochromatic shades are widely popular. They basically consist of one primary color complemented by all its shades and hues. The swatches are entirely based on altering the value of the primary color with saturation to develop nuanced tones.
Although it seems simple, picking an effective color idea can make all the difference when creating a stunning interior design for your clients. Warm colors, cool colors, and muted colors, all have different effects on the mood. There are several advantages of establishing a good color scheme, but let’s take a closer look at some of the most critical aspects to consider.
A color scheme can flow through the house, connecting each room to create an eye-catching visual language. The house color must correspond to the rooms within, including the entryway, living room, bedroom, hall, and kitchen.
For instance, you can ensure the room stays neutral and monochromatic while adding pops of colors with the throw pillows, sectionals, or lampshades for dramatism while ensuring a significant flow around the color wheel.
Conversely, you can choose different interior color schemes for different areas of the house to add a fresh perspective. Some clients are more than willing to experiment with a varied color palette. You can get a complementary color scheme from room to room instead of focusing on the interiors of one room.
If your clients prefer a quiet, serene setting and dislike pops of color, do not fret. Having neutral colors doesn’t necessarily mean boring. You can propose a calming palette of attractive neutral colors and play with their undertones.
The palette you select should have either a subtle grey or beige to bring down the vibrancy of the house color. You can still introduce light blue, taupe, light pastels of green, or variating shades of white to play with the undertones of the color palette without compromising the client’s desire for neutrals.
Just make sure to share the swatches and observe their reactions to each shade in order to determine which of the lighter colors close to neutral you can work with to introduce a little style.
The wall color scheme can be adjusted per the natural light available in each room. If you don’t factor this in, you risk a room looking too dull or too vibrant. In a room with plenty of sunlight, even lighter hues tend to look brighter while darker rooms can make warm colors seem foreboding. It is necessary to factor in the effects of natural light on the color palette you choose.
Always remember to start planning your color scheme from the most commonly used area in the house. In most cases, it is the living room or dining room. On entering the home, this room is practically the introduction to your color schemes and concepts right after the entryway.
Transition areas such as entryways, landings, and hallways are often neglected. Make sure to bring these spaces into the narrative when you plan the interior color scheme. If done well, these areas can become the focal points of the house with accent colors and unique treatments.
You can also select the color of the year, which in 2023 as per Benjamin Moore are raspberry, starry night blue, conch shell, savannah green, north sea green, wenge, and cinnamon to add character to these neglected areas.
Quick Read: The Psychology of Colors in Interior Design
Starting with the static elements in the room is an easy approach for an appealing interior paint color scheme. This could be the inflexible aspects of the home such as the architectural elements, furniture, flooring, tiles, or even the artwork.
You can then start determining the perfect colors for the walls based on the immobile objects with the help of the pointers given below.
Inspiration can be derived from anywhere. It could be a picture your clients love or a theme you both like. Anything that appeals to the eye and sparks joy in the heart can be the foundation of your color scheme.
When choosing colors, keeping the color values in mind is vital. Color value stands for the hue’s darkness or lightness. Playing around with these values can help your color scheme take on a deeper meaning and look more attractive.
It’s easy to get intimidated by the variety of colors available. You can make a floor plan or a 3D home model to experience the space with all its color combinations. Ensure to share the swatches with the client and get their approval.
You can create a mood board with the different materials, textures, and furniture from the room placed against the proposed color. Planning well can help you achieve the desired goal and prevent unwanted errors during the execution of your design ideas.
Natural light has a fantastic effect on every color, even in small spaces. After all, color is a reflection of light. Hence you can use real-time sun charts available in 3D software to map out how light from natural and artificial sources will react with the wall paint and accent colors.
Please note that if you are designing a new home for a client instead of undertaking a makeover, then you can switch the pattern. Choose the wall colors first, then select the perfect colors and textures for the furnishing, plants, artwork, linens, etc.
Now that you know the importance of interior color schemes, let us discuss the top 20 interior color scheme combinations that add distinctive character to the living space and their effect on each room.
Recommended Read: 15 Best Ways To Increase Natural Light In Your Home
For nature lovers, there’s no combination as perfect as moss green, tan, and white. Natural textured fabrics like linen, burlap, hemp, etc., are brilliant complements to this palette.
You can further dramatize this combo by adding nature-inspired artwork. The Sherwin Williams moss green has been a cult favorite for a good reason. This rich, delicate, and classy combination is here to stay.
Quick Read: How To Choose The Exterior Paint Colors for A House?
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Look no further if you are looking for a nautical or coastal vibe that’s not done to death. The grouping of blue, sand, and a touch of gray is refreshingly beach-like.
This palette is instrumental in designing interiors that have a sophisticated, modern, yet easygoing air. The dining room and living room can seem welcoming when donned in this palette.
Related Read: 8 Best Creative Dining Room Design Ideas
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Not for the weak of heart, this is a recipe for a chic masterpiece if used well. It lends any room young and vibrant energy. When paired with the correct furnishings, you can expect to be blown away by its discernable old-world charm.
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White paint is literally the blank canvas on which your imagination can run wild! Pops of color in the form of a mural, abstract shapes, or artwork can adorn this canvas. Every element gets highlighted and showcased in white.
However, overuse of this theme may get chaotic if crowded with details. Master bedrooms, or any bedroom for that matter can be personalized with this approach.
Suggested Read: Bohemian Interior Design Style for Colorful Decor
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An unconventional and jarring color choice that’ll make your space look exuberant and punk. Neons can garnish any old corner and immediately make them the focal point with zero effort. Think accent walls in the bar areas or balconies with a mystic, overgrown vibe highlighted by this color combination.
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Softer shades of blue paint with the opulence of emerald green is pure elegance! The Benjamin Moore Emerald Isle has been a long-time favorite of designers. These room colors give off a serene albeit confident trail. They can be comfortably used to adorn cabinetry too.
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Splitting the walls with two cool tones like blue-green makes it seem smart and sharp. How you create the sectionals in the room with the two hues will depend on the size of the room and the amount of light it receives.
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You must have guessed by now that blue plays a pivotal role in most color combinations. Blue is a color that offers wings to the mind, while beige keeps the feet firmly planted on the ground. This combination is best for formal settings like the living room, home office, or study.
Also, Read: 30 Best Hallway Color Schemes
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Opt for rigidly neutral colors like gray and brown for highly intense focal points. This combination works best when you want to highlight a brass or bronze statement piece of artwork.
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It pays to be brave! The drama unfolds in oodles when there is a medley of red and black. This combination packs a punch and is perfect for focal points in dens, parlor rooms, hallways, and stairways. It envelopes the room and its inhabitants with a ferocity that cannot be tolerated by all!
Quick Read: 21 Most Popular Types of Interior Design Styles
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To incorporate nature into the interiors more formally and subtly, go for the contemporary gray-green, white, and black combo. While grayish-green and white add a smidgen of crispness to the room, black anchors the rest of the elements.
Recommended Read: 35 Best Bedroom Color Schemes
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Colors in a room can largely influence our mood. Universally, shades like gray and blue are restful, while taupe is a warm color with a cocooning effect.
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It is a common misconception that neutral shades are boring and monotonous. Two heavy hues such as black and navy can be combined to create a sumptuous stately appearance. A classic for masculine energy, these go well in dens, master bedrooms, and even kitchens.
Quick Read: 20 Best Small Bathroom Color Schemes
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Jewel tones like emerald can be burnished in a glossy finish. They bounce light around and instantly lift spirits. Add to it the earthiness of tan, and you have a room makeover! As a bonus, let the color seep onto the soft furnishings in plush textures like velvet.
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When paired with a buoyant hue like light gray, vibrant colors such as forest green become perfect options for wall paint in open areas. The kitchen is best suited for these interior paint colors with cabinets in darker shades complementing lighter walls. Add to it some vintage fixtures and lights, and you are golden!
Related Read: 35 Best Kitchen Color Schemes
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Yellow is the most stimulating wall color on the color wheel. The happy-go-lucky yellow seem mysterious when paired with a moodier subtle gray. This combination feels fresh and can work wonders in nurseries and playrooms as well as the living room or breakfast nook.
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Have you ever wondered what happens if we take two deep colors and blend them together? The combination of pink with green immediately impresses and can breathe new life into a bedroom or living room.
The vibrancy and warmth of pink pop out against the natural aspects of green, much like cherry blossoms, making the room seem more lively and it is summer all around the year.
Quick Read: 30 Stunning Master Bedroom Design Ideas
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One more modern practice is pairing a dark color with a pastel shade, e.g., the soft Pink Cup from Farrow & Ball and black. The warm playfulness of pink is comforting and flattering, while the dark contrast of black is the missing touch of suave.
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Classic black and white are the favorite colors in interior design color schemes for ages. No matter how you use it, this combination seldom goes wrong. You can use either color on the walls and furnish the room with the other or add them in radial patterns around the room to create vibration and rhythm.
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Depending on the interior style, blue and white can play the roles of modern and elegant as well as carry rustic DIY and plain on its shoulders. One of the most straightforward combinations to use, it is an evergreen merger.
Also, Read: 8 Best Ways to Tell Your Story Through Interior Design
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While it’s natural to be excited to try all these color combinations and convert the space into a visual masterpiece, things can get messy and complicated if you get the colors wrong. Getting the client’s nod of approval on the swatches before putting any color on the walls is always better.
To help you with the challenge, you can always take the help of a powerful rendering software such as Foyr Neo. Add different elements like home decor and furniture from the extensive library of blocks and models available at your disposal.
You can then try out the various color schemes on the model. Finally, render a super realistic visual to see how the room would look after executing the ideas! Sign up for a 14-day free trial to up your color game!
Using Foyr Neo is as easy as 1, 2, 3. First, upload a floor plan or create one from scratch. Then drag and drop from over 60K 3D models to fill your rooms. Lastly, just set the shot and let the AI create stunning 4K renders for you in less than 10 minutes.
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