Picking a color scheme for one room in your home can be challenging, but trying to coordinate a color scheme for your home can be downright daunting. If you over-coordinate your colors, it can come off as being too matchy-matchy. If you under-coordinate, you could give off a tacky vibe. Plus, if you decide to sell your home, a mismatched color palette can decrease the value of your home.

Luckily, you can end up with a color scheme you’ll love that will also enhance the value of your home. Here are some tips to help you pick the perfect palette:

Choose a color from the largest pattern in the room. 

If you have a statement piece, such as a piece of artwork or an Oriental rug, or patterned upholstery, pick colors you like from these items. For neutral wall or accent piece colors, seek out the pattern’s whites and beiges for a complementary look. 

Start with the formal rooms.

The foyer, living room, or dining room are usually the first room visitors see – and it sets the tone for the rest of your home. Choose a color palette for these rooms first, then pull a color from the palette and incorporate it throughout your home. If you have a purple sofa in your living room, use a more subdued tone such as lilac as an accent color in your office or bedroom. 

Decorate your space using the 3/3 vertical rule.

The simplest design trick to make your space look good with risk is to decorate using the 3/3 vertical rule. Use darker hues on the floor, medium hues on the walls, and light hues on the ceiling. Our interior space is a replica of the outside world. Our exterior environment is darker below our feet, medium-valued when looking straight ahead, and lighter values looking to the sky according to interior designer Mark McCauley. 

Look at your clothing.

Treat choosing the color scheme of your home the same way you choose the color of your clothes – select colors you like and that look good on you. For example, if you don’t like or don’t look good in orange, don’t choose that as a color for your home. 

Use the color wheel.

Generally, colors next to each other on the color wheel will complement each other. If you have already chosen a room’s primary color, look to the color wheel to determine what could work best as an accent color. Put a touch of black in each room, such as a photo frame or vase, as it enhances the other colors in the room. 

Use the 60-30-10 rule.

The 60-30-10 rule follows a simple concept: have 60% of the colors in your space be composed of a dominant color, 30% a secondary color, and the remaining 10% an accent color. For example, the walls will most likely be 60%; upholstery would represent 30%, and accents such as a vase or throw pillows would make up the remaining 10%.

Complement the architecture.

Paint your larger rooms lighter colors so they can expand with light. Instead of painting smaller rooms white to make them feel bigger, use a warm color scheme to make it a cozy, nurturing space. 

Be true to your style.

If you decorate honestly, your friends and family will appreciate it because it’s your unique style. It’s important to feel comfortable in your own home, so choosing a palette representative of your style and taste will make any color look good.

A quality paint job is not only essential to preserving the longevity of your home, but it is also the perfect way to highlight your taste and style. Stanford Painting is here to help you choose the perfect color scheme for your home. Give us a call at 650-321-9302 or visit our website to get started today!