Interior Design Color Rules

The Sum of All Colors

• The principle of 60/30/10 will help you divvy up colors in any room. The walls constitute 60 percent of any space, so your paint or wallpaper serves as the main color element in the room. Upholstery and furniture make up 30 percent of most rooms, though cabinets occupy 30 percent of the space in kitchens. Your upholstery should coordinate with your walls but not match exactly. The final 10 percent of the space includes accessory pieces, such as art and lampshades. Choose either bold or neutral hues for your accents.

Room Function

• Most homeowners want their bathrooms and bedrooms to serve as relaxing, quiet retreats. Shades of green and blue work well for this because they lower blood pressure and calm the nerves. Lavender can work too, though some adults don't respond favorably to the color. Shades of yellow, orange and red work well in lively rooms, such as kitchens and family rooms.

Lighting and Architecture

• A well-lit room with plenty of natural light can handle darker hues on the walls, while hallways and dark basements beg for lighter hues. Deep colors work when your walls showcase white wainscoting or built-in cabinetry, because the drywall occupies less visual space. To make a small home appear larger and more cohesive, repeat the same color palette throughout the house.

Balance

• Designers count on the color wheel to find the ideal color scheme. If you want a calming combination, monochromatic schemes use different shades of the same color to create a soothing effect. For more verve, an analogous palette consists of colors that border each other on the color wheel. Blue and green represent analogous colors. Complementary colors make up the boldest palette and add energy to a space. Purple and yellow illustrate the complementary concept: Buttery yellow walls serve as a foil for lavender drapes and chairs. Finally, black can ground a room, so add one black piece to every space.