Most people appreciate color when they see it, but get lost when trying to choose it for their own home. While there’s no one foolproof recipe for decorating, there are some color guidelines that can help a space come together.
60-30-10 (and a splash of black)
One popular rule involves choosing three main colors for a room. Of all of the color in the room, 60% will be one color, 30% a different color, and 10% the last color. No need to whip out a calculator, these percentages are meant to be eye-balled. In the living space above, about 60% of the total color in the room is green, followed by 30% yellow and 10% red. Many people who follow the 60-30-10 rule also add a touch of black to “ground” the space, as you can see here with the coffee table and some of the furniture legs.
Small, Medium, Large
This guideline helps you dose the dominant color in a room. It can be used in conjunction with the 60-30-10 rule, although it doesn’t have to be. The idea is that the most dominant color in the room should be present in at least one large dose, one medium dose, and one small dose. This prevents you from creating lonely islands of color in the room. In the room above, blue is the dominant color. There is a large amount of blue in the sofa, a medium dose of blue in the painting, and small touches of blue in the pillows and the vase.
Threading Colors Between Rooms
Do you have an open concept space or large openings between rooms? Rooms that can be seen from other rooms should have at lease one color in common. In this image, the reddish orange from the front living space is carried through into the area in the back in the form of a true red. While red and reddish-orange aren't the exact same color, they are similar enough to help the spaces on either side of this large mantle feel more connected.