How to Incorporate Color to Your Space

Have you been looking to refresh and reenergize your room with new colors? If you are like most homeowners, deciding on the perfect color is not always an easy task. Use the following tips and tricks to help you maintain balance and harmony in your space.

Use the 60-30-10 Rule

USE THE 60-30-10 RULE

Take a look at some rooms in magazines or in Designers’ Portfolio. You’ll notice that the rooms you like the most are almost invariably divided into percentages of 60-30-10. Why this works is anybody’s guess. Perhaps it is the human tendency to see an overall theme in the 60 percent hue, unifying the coloration. The 30 percent provides visual interest and the 10 percent, not unlike jewelry, provides that little spark of sparkle.

So, when decorating a particular room, divide the colors into percentages:

  • 60% of a dominant color
  • 30% of a secondary color
  • 10% of an accent color

When you think about it, this color breakdown is similar to a man’s business suit:

  • 60% of the outfit’s color is the slacks and jacket
  • 30% of the outfit’s color is the shirt
  • 10% of the outfit’s color is the tie

Translated to a room setting, it typically means:

  • 60% of the room’s color is the walls
  • 30% of the room’s color is the upholstery
  • 10% of the room’s color is, say, an accent piece or a floral arrangement

Source: HGTV.com

Use the Family of Your Favorite Color

USE THE FAMILY OF YOUR FAVORITE COLOR

Use a monochromatic theme of lights and darks from a color family. Using the 60-30-10 rule above, pick three colors from the family and use this throughout your space. Use the Paint Colors by Family guide from Sherwin Williams to help you out.

ADD COLOR TO YOUR SPACE BY ACCESSORIZING

Small touches of color can really stand out in a neutral space. This can be done over an extended period of time to get your desired look or you can update seasonally to keep your space looking new all year round. The following are a few accessories that are easy to incorporate into a space.

Add Color to Your Space by Accessorizing

Start with a rug as your centerpiece and pull from its colors. A rug can be used in kitchens, baths, living rooms and just about any other space in your home. Use the colors from the rug and expand upon it in your space.

Add Color to Your Space by Accessorizing

Use your favorite art as a starting point. It could be a painting, sculpture or a piece of furniture that you enjoy. The art does not have to be expensive or made by a famous artist. Just as long as you love it you can take color inspiration from it and incorporate it into your space.

Add Color to Your Space by Accessorizing

Add pops of color here and there using pillows, blankets, towels, colored organizers, fruits, vegetables, floral or just about anything that you would be using in your space. You can use the paint color family guide above by Sherwin Williams to have a variety but harmonious color accents in your space.

Incorporate Color with Your Fixtures, Cabinetry and Appliances

Incorporate Color with Your Fixtures, Cabinetry and Appliances

Incorporate Color with Your Fixtures, Cabinetry and Appliances

INCORPORATE COLOR WITH YOUR FIXTURES, CABINETRY AND APPLIANCES

Today, the sky is almost the limit with what you can purchase for a kitchen or bath remodel. There are so many varieties of finishes, colors and textures in products that you can use to create your custom style. You could create a more neutral space and incorporate bold accent colors or you could go for subtle monotones and use natural elements to make the space pop such as copper or brass finishes, natural stone tile or colored glass.

Your Gerhard’s design team is the expert in this area and we can be there every step of the way with you to help you decide what would make your perfect space. We make it our mission to deliver personalized service and high quality products to you, our valued customer!