Choosing the perfect interior design color palette

Your home is a blank canvas and you are the artist ready to get to work. However, staring into an empty space can feel extremely daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start.

Before you grab a brush and make the first touches, ask yourself the following question: How will the chosen colors serve me and my space? While this question is a bit lofty, it should get your wheels turning. Have you thought about the what, why and how of the shades you have chosen? If not, you’re not ready to put the brush to the wall just yet.

An interior design color palette is a curated, cohesive group of hues used for your walls, furniture and decor. The purpose is for these colors to work together to set the foundation for consistency, balance and flow. And because color affects mood, coherence and perceived space, the selection process should not be taken lightly.

This guide will help you navigate what color palettes are, why they matter, and how to choose one for your home. So grab your paintbrush and easel and get ready to create a masterpiece.

Color palettes are the foundation of great interior design

Color palettes is a curated selection of shades used consistently in a space. They usually include the following types of colors:

• Dominant Color: The main color that occupies the largest surface area. It sets the overall tone and mood of the space. For example, a soft, warm white creates an airy, calm environment, while a deep navy creates drama and sophistication.
• Secondary Color: The next most used color that supports and complements the dominant shade. It is often used in upholstery, carpeting, window treatment and cabinetry. This shade adds depth and contrast without overpowering the room. Think of it as the helper that helps the main color win.
• Accent Color: The rare shade used sparingly to create visual interest and personality. These appear in decorative elements such as pillows, wall art, vases or armchairs. Accent colors can be bold and unexpected and are the finishing touches that bring energy and dimension to the fore.

These collections help fulfill your design desires by working magic in several ways:

Creating visual coherence

Using the 60-30-10 rule or a similar tactic will keep the space balanced and ensure that each room flows naturally into the next. Try mixing 60% of a dominant color, 30% of a complementary secondary color and 10% as a tone to create a natural balance.

Preventing rooms from feeling chaotic

Sticking to an interior design color palette reduces clashing hues and helps your home look harmonious and visually appealing. If you have a ton of different shades that don’t necessarily complement each other, it can backfire and look messy.

Affecting mood and energy

In interior design, color psychology examines how people interact and respond to certain hues. For example, warm colors such as red, orange and yellow often bring people joy, warmth and energy. On the other hand, cool colors like blue, green and white offer stability, calmness and peace. With picking up shades that mimic the types of feelings you want to experience in your home, you’ll have an instant mood lift every time you walk through the front door.

Easier decorating decisions

You have all the decorating options at your disposal as you style your home. It’s kind of a lot, isn’t it? When you secure a particular interior color schemeit can narrow your focus and make decorating less complicated.

Helping define a certain style of decoration

Color palettes can be flexible depending on the type of aesthetic you want to achieve. However, certain shades lend themselves to certain designs better than others. Finding colors you like can help you identify your home’s interior style, making it easier to create a cohesive finish.

Learning from the pros: Strategies for choosing colors

You want to think like a personal decorator? At Decorating Den Interiors, our professionals are always working one step ahead to paint the perfect picture for each client. Here’s how they do it:

Designers start with fixed elements in the room

Rather than reinventing the wheel, professionals look at what already exists in your space to determine which direction to take. If you are changing everything completely, then this is not the best method. But if some elements remain the same, these fixed points can lay the foundation for all other elements related to color.

This includes any of the following features in your home:

• Parquet.
• cabinet.
• Benches.
• Architectural features.
• Wallpaper.

Designers consider lighting and undertones

Designers never take a home at face value — they always take things a step further to ensure all design touches work together in your space. This includes the types of lighting you typically use, whether your home is flooded with natural light, what tones are already there, and how the colors will shift throughout the day as the sun changes. They pay attention to which rooms get the most direct light and determine the color scheme based on what will look best 24/7, 365 days a year.

Designers define the desired mood before choosing shades

Designers always consider the psychology of colors before choosing a design. Let’s say you they want an organic space which feels refreshing. Your designer would probably choose a palette with lots of greens and earth tones. Or, if you want every room to look stylish, elegant and extremely timeless, black and white are the clear shades to choose. Professionals know how you will respond to certain shades and use this knowledge to choose the perfect composition.

Designers limit the palette to maintain balance

Professional decorators They’re not afraid to go big and bold, but they also know when to call it quits. Wondering how many colors should be in a palette? Designers always choose about three to five main colors to mix and match in a home, keeping things simple rather than throwing every color of the rainbow on the walls and decor.

For a tip: Don’t be afraid to have fun with variations in tone and hue. This way depth is created and variety can be introduced without adding another shade to the mix.

Steps to choosing your home’s color scheme

So, what does this look like in practice? Follow these steps for a palette that works for you personal design style and desired atmosphere:

1. Determine the architectural style of your home: Identifying which category your home fits into can help with color selection. Do you have a state-of-the-art loft? Deep neutrals and cool tones would work wonders. Have a funky architectural focal point you want to highlight? Place dominant colors in this area to highlight it. Every home is different, which means it pays to adapt the color scheme to your particular space.

1. Determine the mood you want each room to convey: Looking for a hideaway or a super sunny spot to do puzzles and read? Knowing how and what you want to feel when you come home helps you choose paint colors. For example, a burnt orange bathroom will wake you up in the morning before work, while a lavender one will help you feel like royalty, or an all-white moment will mimic feelings of serenity.

1. Take inspiration from anchor pieces: What pieces would you say are the foundations of your home? White oak flooring, creamy white countertops, or dark mahogany cabinets can all update your color direction and ensure your chosen hues blend nicely with your existing home. This is also your chance to notice any irregularities that may need to be fixed throughout your space, including different colors of hardware or mismatched shades of wood.

1. Testing paint samples in real lighting: Colors look very different in the store than in your actual home. If you’ve ever confidently bought a can, brought it home and started painting, only to be shocked at the shade, you’re already well aware of this fact. It’s helpful to take paint samples to the home you’re considering and test them in various lighting. Does a room have a particularly high amount of natural light? Hang the swatch to see what it does to the shade. This ensures that you love the color palette at all times of the day (and night).

Trending color palettes to test in your space

Whether you love classics like white, grey, cream, tan and gray or are open to any shade on the color wheel, it’s always great to be inspired by modern palettes. You don’t need to completely redo your space—unless that’s the goal. simply introduce a few shades that may work alongside your existing color scheme. Alternatively, go all out by choosing one of these top color combinations:

Modern Palm Springs palette

• Mustard.
• Teal.
• Blush.
• Olive.
• Warm whites.

Relaxed coastal palette

• Soft blues.
• Beige sandy.
• Crisp white.
• Driftwood gray.
• Green sea salt.

Moody Jewel Tones

• Emerald.
• Sapphire.
• Burgundy.
• Plum.

Earthy, inspired by nature

• Clay.
• Sage.
• Mushroom.
• Hot tap.

Go super on trend by incorporating one of the colors of the year Cloud Dancer from Pantone or Sherwin-Williams’ Khaki Universal. These beautiful neutrals are timeless and on-trend, perfect if you’re a fan of muted tones.

Painting your perfect palette

Are you leaning towards a nice sage green or want to try a vibrant bold color? Just remember, choosing the right color scheme for your home starts with:

• Following the 60-30-10 rule and using only three to five colors throughout your home.
• Test all colors in different lights, especially for south-facing rooms.
• Choosing colors that are harmonious and not just trendy (bonus points if they’re both).

Decorating Den Interiors can help! Our color experts have years of experience in analyzing and selecting the ideal colors for clients, regardless of style or desired end result. If you are looking for the perfect color combinations for your homea personal decorator can deliver.

Enter your zip code to find a Decorating Den Interiors decorator near you.