Basic Components of Decorating With Color

Color is a key component of any rooms design. Unfortunately, unless you have a natural eye for it, you may struggle to use it effectively. Luckily, the art of color is actually based on a type of science which expresses the relationship between different tones according to a mathematical formula. This means that even if you struggle to pick colors which are attractive in the space, and with one another, you can still use a few simple tried and tested decorator methods to avoid any major clashes.


The Color Wheel

The color wheel is the most important tool for understanding how colors work together. It basically takes the entire discipline of color theory, and condenses it down into one easy to use diagram.

Most color wheels will show the basic rainbow tones, although some computer based wheels will show the millions of gradient colors that theoretically exist in between the basic seven. The specific position a color has, determines what its relationship will be to every other color on the wheel.

If two colors are right next to one another, they are said to be analogous. This means that they are very similar, and may only be different shades of the same thing. In general analogous tones will work well together in a setting, as their features are very similar and they generally don’t clash or detract from one another.

The further you move away from a color on the wheel, the greater the contrast between the two. If you have a color which is exactly opposite another, these two will be as different as it is possible to be.  Such relationships are called complimentary, because if you use one of them as the primary color in a space, a small amount of the other will act as an attractive compliment to it.

Warm vs. cool colors

Colors have temperatures, which are based on the similarities they share to hot or cold objects in the real world. Red, orange, and yellow, all fiery tones; are your warmest colors. Blue, green, and brown, which resemble snow and shaded woods, are considered colder.  If you cut a color wheel down the middle, hot colors will be on one side, and cool colors will be on the other.

The temperature of your colors will tend to affect a room on a subconscious level. By making hot tones more prevalent, you will create a space which is exciting and vibrant. People exposed to such color patterns tend to get aggressive and energetic. They also get hungrier, and their metabolisms rise. This is why many restaurants use these colors prevalently. They want their customers to be both ravenous, and in an excited hurry.

If you are trying to create a calmer or more serene ambience, then you want to use cool colors.  These do the opposite of warm tones, making people slow down, repressing hunger, and diffusing violence. Having a problem with too many fights over the remote control? Try painting your TV room in cool serene colors.

Dark vs. Light

Lighter colors tend to make things seem bigger, while darker colors make them more compact. If space is limited, use bright airy tones to create the illusion that the walls are receding from you. Use darker tones strategically to make remote areas seem cozier. This is a popular method for making a vaulted ceiling appear visually less distant.

Color Intensity

Intensity refers to how deep and powerful your colors are. A bright crimson red is much more intense than a washed out pink tone.  Intense colors are used to give a room features, and make it more interesting. This is an effective method for making a smaller area seem larger. The powerful tones will make the space seem so rich and full, that it will hide the lack of actual foot space.

In a larger area you may want to avoid vibrant tones, as they can add too many features to the space, making it busy and disjointed. Instead you should use milder colors as they will tend to draw the space together, and make it seem like a concerted whole.

Conclusion