No matter what room in your home is ready for a re-do, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to develop a color palette before you start decorating. You may go into your project with the idea that you want to focus on green, but what other colors will you use to enhance your space and convey your personality?
Developing a color palette right off the bat can really come in handy when you’re shopping for furniture, fabrics, accessories, art, and paint.
What is a Color Palette?
In interior design, a color palette is simply a collection of colors that complement each other and are used together throughout a room. In modern interior design, it’s customary to choose a dominant color to take up roughly 60% of the room, a secondary color to fill roughly 30% of the room, and accent colors to fill the rest.
Why You Should Choose a Color Palette
Having a “main” color in mind is great, but you should have a selection of at least three different colors that you will work into your space. By creating a complete color palette, your overall design will look more cohesive.
How to Create a Color Palette for Your Home
“When it comes to developing a color scheme, don’t go into it with any preconceived notions. Be open! Any colors can go together, if they’re used properly and in the right proportions to one another,” said Warren Martin (ASID), the Design Director at Star Furniture.
If you’re looking for a fresh, brand new color palette, there are plenty of ways you can get inspired. Sites like Pinterest, Design Seeds, A Creative Mint, and Houzz offer plenty of color insight and inspiration. Also, be sure to check out paint authorities’ websites, like Benjamin Moore.
And as you discover colors you like, whether online, in fabrics, on paint chips, or in everyday objects, be sure to keep a catalog of those colors, so that you won’t forget them.
Apps for Creating a Color Palette
Technology can be very helpful when it comes to decorating your home. In fact, there are even apps you can download to your smartphone that can help you choose colors, create palettes, and keep track of your ideas.
Some Colorful App Suggestions
- Coolors App: an app that lets you quickly generate color schemes and lets you easily explore trending palettes
- Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio App: an app that lets you take an iPhone snapshot of any color and match it to one of the 3,300 shades that Benjamin Moore manufactures
- Palettr App: An app that lets you quickly and easily find color palettes by choosing a theme or place for inspiration
Looking for more decorating tips? Check out our interior design blog where we cover everything from how to make a room look bigger to how to lighten a dark room with no natural light.