ROOM COLOR SCHEMES

When decorating your home's interior you need to choose a color scheme. Room Color Schemes can be WARM OR COOL with MONOCHROMATIC, ADJACENT or COMPLEMENTARY colors. Start with a predominant color and add one or more accent colors.

There are 3 primary colors - red, yellow and blue. Secondary colors are produced by mixing two of the primaries in the right proportion. Blue and yellow make green, red and yellow make orange and blue and red make purple, but you knew this already. By mixing different proportions of the three primaries you can produce an infinity of room color schemes.

Red orange and yellow are warm colors. Green, blue and violet are cool colors. Bluish-violet is cool while reddish-violet is warm. Even white can be warm (if it is yellow-white) or cool (if blue-white).

A tint is a color with white added which makes it cooler than its pure color. Example pink is cooler than red. A shade is a color with black or brown added making it warmer than its pure color. Example blue and navy.

Color is also affected by the surface or texture of the material it is applied to. Smooth and shiny surfaces are cooling while rough and textured appear warmer.

Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are COMPLEMENTARY; red and green, blue and orange, purple and yellow.

ADJACENT colors are next to each other on the color wheel; blue and green, orange and red, purple and blue and their varing tints and shades.

A MONOCHROMATIC room color scheme would use one predominant color with different tints, shades or textures as accents.

It is said that red can increase your blood pressure, but I can say from experience that the wrong color will increase your blood pressure, even if it is beige. Color does not effect everyone the same. What you may find totally irritating others in your family may find okay.

Color also can have a different appearance and feel from room to room depending on the light and if it is exposed to the south or the north. Consider using warm color schemes in rooms that face the north and do not have windows east, south or west to let natural light in.

If it all seems confusing don't fret there is an easy way to choose a room color scheme. There are trained people who have already done the work for you. Look for color scheme combinations in magazine pictures, fabrics, art work, wrapping paper, book covers, wallpaper etc. that you are attracted to.

Remember to look at the sample in the light of the room you are decorating evening and morning. Use the sample as a guide to choosing decorating colors. Many wallcovering, upholstery and drapery fabric sample books feature coordinating home fashion products and colors.