It may seem like there should be a scientific approach when choosing a color scheme for your home, but in reality, there isn’t. Color is self-expression, which means it is very unique. Choosing a color scheme for your home can be stressful and overwhelming, considering there are thousands of colors to choose from. The key is to make it fun. Here are some tips for choosing a color scheme for your home…

Step #1: Find Inspiration
The first step is to narrow down your choices to colors that you like. Good ways to go about doing this are peeking through your closet, looking at any upholstery or fabric you have, or using a picture or piece of art. You want to figure out what colors you gravitate towards, so look around your house. Chances are you’ll find some sort of inspiration from something you already own.

Step #2: Establish a Mood for Rooms
Next, figure out how you want each space to make you feel. Do you want your living room to be lively or cozy? Are you using the dining room for intimate gatherings or energetic parties? Do you want a romantic or tranquil mood in the bedroom? Picking a mood for each room will dictate what colors you should use in them.

Warm colors (red, orange and yellow) are all high-energy colors, but they encourage different degrees of activity. Red is a stimulating color and promotes interaction while yellow is uplifting and a mood booster. It conveys happiness. Orange is in the middle, evoking a friendly, exciting atmosphere.

Cool colors (blue, green and violet) are calming colors. Blue is soothing and encourages serenity. Green is the dominant color in nature. It makes you feel healthy, wholesome, and rested. Violet is sophisticated and dramatic. It combines the enticing qualities of red with the relaxing essence of blue.

Step #3: Mix and Match
Now that you know what colors you gravitate towards and how each color affects mood, you can narrow down your choice to one color. Let’s say you’ve chosen green as your main color. Tweak the green based on the mood of the room. Mix it with yellow to get a lively cheerful room. For a more tranquil effect, mix green with blue to get teal.

After you’ve chosen your dominate color, you’ll need to choose a secondary and an accent color. If you are looking for one color scheme for the whole house, choose 5 colors. If it is for a single room, choose 3. A good color scheme is one that blends well together and generally mixes in some neutrals with some louder colors. Test your colors on the walls before painting the whole room.

Usually, go with the 60-30-10 rule: 60 percent dominate color, 30 percent secondary color(s), and 10 percent accent color(s). There are different ways to choose the secondary and accent colors. You can go to a fabric store and look at your dominant color fabrics to see what other colors are used. Websites like Design Seeds are great tools for picking out accent colors as well. This site pulls colors from a single picture, giving you not only a scheme but also a visualization of what the colors look like together.

Step #4: Put Your Palette to Style
Now that you’ve chosen your color scheme, it’s time create an atmosphere you’ll love. Incorporate the accent colors by using throw pillows, rugs, curtains, and wall art. The secondary colors can be used in furniture or as an accent wall color. Deciding on a color scheme was the hard part. Now it’s time to have fun putting your house together.

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A Cypress Homes, Inc. Blog