Color Harmonies

• Color schemes look best, when one color dominates.

• Your dominant color should cover about two thirds of the room area. An equal split between areas of dominant and subordinate is far less pleasing.

• Subordinate colors are not as lively as dominant colors and are generally used for large furniture pieces, to blend them into the background.

• Accent colors add flair to the decor. Often bright focal points of color are drawn from the opposite side of the color wheel.

• Bold, warm, and dark colors appear to advance. Use them to lower ceilings or create a feeling of closeness in a room.

• Dark values and warm hues make rooms appear smaller.

• Cool, dull, and light colors recede. Use them to heighten low ceilings or to widen a room.

• Light values and cool hues make a room appear larger.

• Neutrals enhance and strengthen the other colors around them.

• Large areas look best when covered with low intensity colors. Large areas of space tend to enhance a colors intensity.

• Contrasting colors are emphasized when used together. For example, light colors appear lighter beside dark colors, and vise versa.

• Surfaces with rough textures make colors appear darker then surfaces with flat, smooth textures.

• Exposure of a room affects color harmony choice. Rooms that face north or east and receive little sun can feel warmer with reds and oranges.

• Rooms that face south or west and receive sun will appear cooler with blues and greens.

• Colors appear different under different lighting conditions. Artificial light softens colors. Colors that appear attractive under artificial light may be too harsh in full daylight.

• Incandescent lighting normally adds a warm glow to colors. Fluorescent lighting changes the hue of colors in a variety of ways, depending on the type of tube used.