This Is the Number One Designer Secret to Creating a Gorgeous Space
A well-designed room tends to make a strong first impression, and that reaction can be almost immediate. Think of a space that made you say “wow” out loud as soon as you walked in. There could be one overarching reason for that feeling: Maybe the room had a fantastic view, beautiful large wall art, or a particularly inviting Chesterfield sofa?
The more time you spent in that space, though, the more likely you picked up on details that made those statement pieces shine. It could be that the rug complemented the view, the wall paint highlighted the artwork, or the pillows perfectly accented the sofa. Either way, at the core of each of those features, there’s a cohesive color palette at work behind its — and a whole room’s — visual success.
“So many design decisions depend on your color palette,” says designer Gabriela Eisenhart, founder of Silo Studios. “It’s always best to nail down a clear idea of the palette as a direction for the space first. Once that’s set, the selections come together more effortlessly.”
If you’re currently looking at a room that could use a little TLC, then go back to the basics by asking yourself, “What is its color palette?” Here’s what you need to know about this foundational design element, from differentiating among the most popular types of color palettes to ensuring that the right pieces make it into your shopping cart. With a little bit of effort and consideration, your space will soon make a strong first impression, too.
What Is a Color Palette?
A color palette can be described as the most dominant shades at work in a space. For example, if the walls of a living room are painted navy, the sofa and side chairs are upholstered in cream, and the area rug is woven in green — which then reappears in accessories throughout the rest of the room — then those three colors comprise the color palette. If your goal is to create a “wow” worthy design, then it’s a good idea to settle on a color palette before any big, foundational furniture or textile purchases are made.
“When we set the tone for a room and its overall scheme, we start with color,” designer Sarah Tract says. “This establishes the vibe of the space, providing a foundation to build upon.”
To help you determine your best dominant colors in a given room, there are a number of ways to think about color. Perhaps you want to play off the room’s surroundings, which can be seen from its windows. Maybe you want to pull from the shades of a specific piece, like a painting or a throw blanket. Or it could be that you simply want to be enveloped in your favorite hues, so that your wardrobe matches the room. Whatever your inspiration may be, it can help you streamline the design process for results that make a room look and feel entirely intentional.
What Are the Different Types of Color Palettes?
There’s a lot of excitement that comes from designing a room with your preferred palette in mind, but it can be overwhelming, too. To narrow down your choices so that your color palette matches your vision, read on for more about the most common color palettes to choose from. You might find it helpful to reference a color wheel to help you visualize the practice of palette building, which is why you’ll find that and real-life examples of the different types of color palettes shown here.
Monochromatic Color Palette
“Monochromatic is one of my favorite color palettes to design with,” Eisenhart says. “It means choosing one main hue and pairing it with variations of the same color. Think of a paint swatch card with multiple tones of a single color.” In the color wheel above, yellow and its derivative shades compromise the monochromatic palette, but it could easily be any of the hues on the wheel (and its tonal derivatives).
When it comes to a monochromatic color palette, be sure to choose one leading color with supporting shades that are similar but distinctive enough to stand on their own. This will give your room dimension, even when everything is a little bit matchy-matchy.
Complementary Color Palette
“If you’re looking at a traditional color wheel, complementary colors are directly opposite each other,” Eisenhart says. “For example, blue complements orange, and red complements green. Complementary palettes create bold and dynamic looks and are often seen in both traditional and contemporary interior design styles.”
In the case of a complementary color palette, keep in mind that you don’t have to go with the most obvious colors to make it work — like a deep navy with a bright orange, or a poppy red with a dark green, as Eisenhart shares.
This structure still works if you slightly wander off the beaten path, such as choosing a sky blue to coordinate with a terracotta or a raspberry hue to match with a sage. Stick within the general confines of what constitutes a complementary color, and your individual shades can be more adventurous.
Analogous Color Palette
“An analogous color palette pulls in colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel,” Eisenhart says. “So if your room is painted green, you’d layer in accents of blue-green, teal, and blue. This is a great palette when you want a dramatic room without being too overly stimulating.” When you stick to similar shades, the overall look tends to be pretty soothing on the whole.
An analogous color palette plays well with patterns, so you might look to it for inspiration if you like to play with prints. Curated in analogous shades, the patterns you ultimately land on will look similar enough to pull a space together but still different enough to give it some personality.
Triadic Color Scheme
“A triadic color scheme consists of three evenly spaced colors on the color wheel,” Eisenhart says. “Designing with them creates bold spaces, making it well-suited for both traditional and contemporary styles.”
This color palette may be the most difficult of all to pull off because it’s best to make sure that your picks work together without clashing. Create anchors of color for each shade, and then weave them together with accents that can complement all three.
How Can I Best Build a Color Palette?
Building a color palette doesn’t have to be difficult as long as you give it some thought beforehand. Here are a few tips to remember as you get your room underway.
Designer Tips for Picking a Color Palette
As you may have noticed, most color palettes depend on three main colors. The first shade is known as the “primary” color, followed by the “secondary” color, then the “accent” shade.
“It’s important to focus on your primary shade, as it sets the tone for the space,” Tract says. “Secondary and accent shades can then be introduced and supported by other materials such as fabrics, wood tones, and metal finishes.”
Let’s say you pick green as your primary color, as Eisenhart notes in an example. “If I paint a dining room in a rich green and want to keep the space feeling calm, I’d choose secondary and accent shades in variations of green, either richer or lighter than the dominant hue. This approach follows a monochromatic palette,” she says. “On the other hand, if I want to create a more traditional palette, I’d incorporate complementary colors. These could be introduced through art or window treatments to add interest without feeling overwhelming.”
It’s a good idea to have your primary shade make the most of the room’s best features — how much natural light does the space receive, what type of flooring is underfoot, are there standout architectural details that a certain shade can play up? These are all great questions to ask yourself as you home in on a shade. Just make sure your secondary and accent picks are shades you actually like — not just ones that work best with your primary — and that all of the colors are easy enough to find in the home decor world. After all, there’s no use in coming up with a color palette if you can’t actually bring it to life!
Tips for Adhering to Your Color Palette When Shopping
Speaking of shopping, a color palette can be a great way to keep you focused on what you have in mind for the space, as long as you follow it. “Try to have physical samples on hand,” Eisenhart recommends. “Pictures can be helpful, but they’re not always an accurate representation of color. Rug samples, paint swatches, and fabric pieces make it much easier to determine what works.”
As you shop, zero in on your colors and then see how they all work together once they’re in your cart. “Trust your gut,” Eisenhart says. “If you hold something up to your samples and it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right.” The same thing goes when you take your choices home: If it ends up not looking right in the room according to your palette, don’t hesitate to return it.
Designer Tips for Keeping a Color Palette Cohesive Through a Home
Let’s say you’re excited about the color palette you’ve chosen for a room and would like to carry it throughout the rest of your home. How does this work on a project as big as that one? Eisenhart says that in this case, a storyboard that details the choices for each room can be helpful.
“Having a clear vision of your home’s palette allows you to maintain a sense of connection throughout,” she says. “I gravitate toward neutral, monochromatic color palettes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate bold colors in your home. When I introduce bold colors into a room, I typically work within a monochromatic palette to create a more harmonious feel that allows the eye to flow seamlessly around the space.”
Lastly, use transitions from one room to another as an opportunity for connection. Maybe a dining room and kitchen can be seen from a living room, so the primary shade from the living room can be accent colors in the other two rooms. That creates cohesion throughout, creating that “wow” factor you’re after.
Further Reading
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