For Pros: Color Palettes Your Clients Will Love

One of the most important aspects of any interior design plan is establishing color palettes for the spaces you're decorating. These color palettes will be the foundation of the design, guiding you as you shop for flooring, wall coverings, furniture, and home accessories. 

How to Use the Color Wheel 

Getting a firm grasp on how to combine colors starts by understanding the color wheel and how it works. The color wheel offers twelve basic color sections, starting with the primary colors and including the secondary colors, they create when combined.

Monochromatic 

Monochromatic color schemes take one color and feature variations of that same hue. Although often a version of brown, black, or gray, colors are sometimes used to create a monochromatic color palette, as well. 

Complementary 

Complementary colors are colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel. When choosing a complementary color scheme, determine the dominant color first. Then, use complementary colors to accent the space. Complementary colors look great against a neutral backdrop, such as white, gray, black, or wood tones. 

 Split Complementary

This is a similar idea with a different approach. With a split complementary color scheme, you select the dominant color first. Next, find the complementary color but don't use it. Use the colors directly to the right or left of that complementary color instead. Choosing a complementary color that's one space removed makes the look slightly unexpected and enhances the visual appeal.

Triadic

Once you get the hang of working with complementary and split complementary color schemes, try your hand at a triadic color scheme. This variation is a little bit more difficult to achieve, but it produces captivating results. Start with your dominant color. From there, choose two colors evenly spaced from your dominant color. Use these three colors along with plenty of neutrals to tone down the look a little. 

The 60 / 30 / 10 Rule 

Getting that ideal balance of the different colors you've chosen is all about this one simple rule. 

•60% Dominant Color: The dominant color you chose should account for roughly 60% off all the items showcased in the space. Use it as the upholstery for the major furnishings, the primary color in the curtains, or even for the wall color itself. 

•30% Secondary Color: The second color in the line-up is used for around 30% of the furnishings. It makes a great choice for rugs, accent pillows, and smaller pieces of furniture. 

•10% Accent Color: the third and often the most eye-catching color you've selected is the accent color. Sprinkle this color around the room, using it only 10% of the time.

How to Choose A Dominant Color 

Now that you understand what a color scheme is and how to create a color scheme, it's time to read a little bit deeper into who your client is and what colors they are drawn to. During the initial consultation, take a close look at the items they already feature in the home. The color the feature the most is likely one of their favorites. If they tell you that they have a special piece of furniture they'd like to feature in the new design, that can be used to help create your palette, as well. 

 The closet is also a great place to get a little inspiration. The color they wear the most is probably one that catches their eye when they are out shopping. Once you've narrowed in on a dominant color, play with shade and tone, showing your client paint chips to help home in on the ideal dominant color to anchor your design. 

Adding a Neutral

Color Palettes wouldn't be complete without a few neutrals to tie the whole look together. Using light-colored neutrals such as white, cream, and light wood tones help make a room appear brighter and larger. Choosing darker tones such as black, dark gray, and dark brown make a large room seem cozier and help to ground the space. 

 Make one space flow beautifully into the next, even when they feature different color palettes, by keeping the neutral tones the same. Use the same flooring throughout the space, repeat countertops from the kitchen in a bathroom, or feature wood elements in every room. This makes a change in the dominant color, from one space to another, less jarring and more intentional.

Create a Mood Board with the Color Palette 

Once you've established a color palette for the design, create a mood board for the project. Digital mood boards, such as those you can create on Pinterest, provide you with a game-plan for the space design. You can even browse popular and on-trend color palettes used for both interior rooms and outdoor spaces. As you work on the mood board, make sure to include: 

 •Rugs   

•Wall Coverings   

•Flooring  

•Furniture 

•Wall Art 

•Home Decor Items 

Even though the color wheel itself only features twelve basic colors, there are infinite variations of these tones when you start adjusting intensity and shade. When in doubt, look for color combinations frequently used together in home decor items. If they are used in artwork, rugs, and home accents, they complement one another.