Life is all about color. If white, and beige were all the color choices available, life would be pretty dull.
But even though there are many colors to choose from, most homes (perhaps even your home), display a surprising lack of color, which is a sign that most people struggle with achieving the right color combinations, choosing instead to settle for default tones like white and beige, because they are easier to work with.
This doesn’t have to be the case. In this blog, we’ll look at color mistakes that people commonly make and how to open up the color choices available to you by avoiding making those mistakes.
Choosing a color scheme that is too matchy
Accent pieces are supposed to stand out and attract all the attention. If you decorate your room with other pieces that are of the same color, this will overshadow the accent piece. If the dominant piece is green, such as the chest of drawers in the image above, choose other items in a lighter tone as they will be more subdued, will not be monotonous and will not outshine the accent piece.
Going with cream or white
Cream, white, beige and gray are safe colors, they are easier to work with, and that’s why many people prefer them. But restricting yourself to these colors will deny you the opportunity to experiment with bright colors.
Before you settle on any color, get some samples of fabric or paint, test them at home and see how they fit together.
You’ll be surprised at how different hues can complement or contrast each other.
Overdoing bright colors
If you have a room in your house that lets in a lot of sunshine, it’s okay to go with bright colors such as sunshine yellow.
But in darker rooms, it’s better to go with tints and tones instead of bright hues. For instance, instead of bright red, use raspberry tint.
Choosing a tone that is not appropriate for a space
Warm colors and cool colors have their place.
Cool colors help to achieve a sense of calm, focus or restfulness and are therefore good for bedrooms and offices. Warm colors reflect energy and vitality and are good for dining and sitting areas. If you choose a bright yellow color for your bedroom, you will promote anxiety instead of rest. But a warm color such as silvery-blue will promote calm.
As you choose your tones, you also have to consider if they’ll suit different seasons. Making draperies or seat covers in different colors will help to deal with this challenge as you can change them as weather patterns change.
7 ways to deal with these common color mistakes
So, how do you overcome these color mistakes?
Choosing the right color palette is not easy. But here are a few pointers to get started:
1. Use the 60:30:10 rule of color selection
60% should be the color dominating the room, e.g, your walls or large pieces such as rugs or couches. This color sets the background for the everything else.
Your second color choice should dominate 30% of your room on items such as draperies, beddings, furniture, pillows or for painting part of the wall.
10% is the accent color and will vary depending on the room and the accent pieces in those rooms.
2. Lighting plays an important part. Don’t ignore it.
This is one trend that goes beyond just color choices, to encompass a whole lifestyle. The colors and hues reflect lifestyle choices such as healthy living and eating, and responsible habits such as recycling. Faded denim, oil yellow, Argyle Purple, winter twig and Zephyr pink are favorites in this category.
3. Use shades and tones of your favorite colors to replace traditional neutrals such as beige
Beige is not the only neutral color that you can use. Shades and tones of your favorite colors will bring just as much balance to warm and cool colors and are therefore a suitable substitute for beige.
4. Avoid creating monotony
Too many color choices can overload the room and make it look distasteful. It’s best to restrict yourself to one color scheme and use the 60:30:10 rule discussed above.
5. Avoid trendy furniture
Trendy furniture will need to be switched out when a trend runs out. Instead of going with trends when buying permanent or large pieces such as couches or beds, accessorize them with interesting accent pieces when you want to change up the look of your room.
6. Avoid color selections based on gender stereotypes
Shades of Pink can be used in a room and still retain its masculinity. The same applies to masculine colors such as silvers, grays and blacks.
The room above for instance, incorporates pink into the décor to introduce a touch of femininity without overshadowing the masculine aspects of the room.
7. Consult interior décor experts.
If you are “color-challenged”, do not stress yourself trying to learn colors. Interior décor experts know their trade and are there to help you. They will recommend a color palette that will pull your whole room together.
