Consider your surroundings
Take a look at all the furniture you have. Is there already a natural colour flow? If you’re going for a total redesign of the space, consider what furniture is staying and what isn’t. It’s important to know what objects are going to fill the room, in order to find complementing colours. Keeping that dark leather couch? Perfect! Combining leather with rich browns or reds will really add a sleek touch to the space.
Use the 60-30-10 rule
When it comes to re-imagining your colour scheme, this rule will keep you from going overboard. When decorating a room, divide your colours into these percentages:
- 60% dominant colour
- 30% secondary colour
- 10% accent colour
This is also great if you don’t want to completely darken your space. You could opt for a lighter dominant colour, and let those darker colours filter through with the secondary and accent colours, or vice versa. Sticking to this simple design rule can let your creativity flow, without unbalancing the space.
Darkness from the ground up
Within your home, you’d be surprised at how well a ombre effect could work. Many designers tend to reflect nature in their schemes, as it can create incredible flow through a home. By following the call of nature, you’ll generate balance in the surroundings. Add dark colours to the flooring (earth), medium hues for the walls (trees) and finish with a light ceiling (sky).
Pull inspiration from art or patterns
Do you have a stunning artwork displayed in the living room that stands out, maybe a little too much? Ease it into the space by building your colour scheme around it. If the piece consists of 3 main colours, you could use this in your 60-30-10 layout. If you have a patterned bedspread or tablecloth that you’re fond of, you could also use this to influence your overall choice of colour. The possibilities are endless, so keep an open mind throughout your project and you’ll reap all the benefits!
