By Elizabeth Howell-Jones

Painting a room in your favorite colour is a start but is it enough? For an interesting room a single colour needs some company. Mixing colours to create your palette takes some skill.

Begin with your favorite then use the colour wheel to find compatible accents for it. Knowing the principles of the colour wheel will help you work out your colour scheme because it shows the relationship of colours.

Its three main colours are the primaries - red, blue, yellow. Combinations of these three can create all other colours. Mix two of them in equal parts and you’ll get secondary colours. Yellow and red make orange and red and blue make purple.

Tertiary colours are made by combining equal parts of a primary with a secondary colour. For example blue and green will make turquoise. Colours next to each other on the colour wheel are called adjacent or harmonious.

A monochromatic colour scheme is the use of only one colour but varying the intensity for interest. For instance brown, cappuccino and beige offer variety within the same family. You can prevent colour clashes by choosing from one of four groups: primary, secondary, tertiary, or monochromatic.

A room using primary colours will feel strong, solid and vibrant and will work well with all decorating styles. This colour scheme is often used in children’s rooms as it is thought to stimulate creativity and intelligence. I have included some illustrations of these four colour groups.

Colour is affected by the colours around it. A red wall will look deeper and brighter next to white trim. It will appear more vibrant when placed next to green which is its complimentary colour (complimentary -across from one another on the colour wheel) and will appear softer when used next to another warm colour such as purple which is adjacent to it on the colour wheel.

Colour can be used to camouflage or accent specific details. A light switch, ventilation cover or electrical outlet will disappear if painted the same colour as the walls. Colour can suggest and reinforce different historical styles or geographic settings.

Napoleon’s France loved yellow and it is still favored today with antiques. Early settlers used milk paint in blue, green and burgundy and we still see these used to achieve a country look.

Draw a line through the colour wheel and you will see nature’s cool palette with refreshing, watery greens, sky blues to twilight violet. Cool colours visually recede making small rooms more spacious and relaxing.

Cool colours are tranquil and dissolve indoor-outdoor barriers where spaces open to the outside and make the temperature feel cooler.

On the other side of the colour wheel, the warm colours of red, orange, yellow and yellow-green are vibrant and energizing. These colours move forward (advancing) and can add sunshine to a dreary room. Often used where there is minimal natural light or facing a northern exposure. These colours help to spark conversation and increase appetite and so are often used in living and dining rooms. Use these colours to deliver a high energy mood.

Neutrals although not on the colour wheel enjoy huge popularity. They are variations of grays, whites, beiges, taupes and black; are easy to work with plus they are soothing.

You can develop a room around these colours or use them as quiet backdrops or as a grounding feature. They can evoke an understated elegance.

To keep neutrals from becoming boring or bland add some texture and create interest with different tonal values. Introduce some shine into the mix, such as mirrors, glass top tables or accessories with reflective qualities. The living room illustrates a clever mix of creamy and crisp whites, while adding the texture of the wicker, wood carving, fabric and carpet.

Washable slip covers would be a good idea either in the same white colour or for a change, a bright colour which could be repeated in accessory or picture choices. It’s amazing just how many whites there are to choose from, but remember to check if the undertone is blue, pink or yellow. Follow the rules of cool and warm colours that I previously discussed.

Next time watch for my article: The Language of Colour