How to Create the Ideal Three-Color Palette
As the famous phrase- Good Things Come In Threes. Colour palettes are no exception, but the variations are truly endless. If you’re like me when it comes to colour, you often feel spoilt for choice!
Fear not- here are my top tips of grouping colours.
I’m not a big fan of big statement colours when it comes to most interiors, except from navy which will certainly feature in my house build next year. This doesn't mean you have to stick with neutrals or washed out colours, - you can still have colourful undertones playing subtle tricks to make the space look fab. Below I have decoded a photograph to show how any image that captures your imagination, can be interpreted in to an interior scheme.
Decoding an image - example palette
A neutral palette can be anything but drab- the keys are contrast and balance. The middle and colour and most prevalent tone in this image is a dark beige/taupe and has a warm feeling to it. In a room, this will make it feel warm and cosy without being too dark- an excellent choice for a flooring and lower half of a wall colour.
The darkest colour is almost black. Note almost. Pure black rarely looks good and often jars with its surroundings- try to use something close to black such as a dark brown or grey instead. Note that this is the least occurring colour in the image (around 5-10%) and this needs to be reflected in your interior scheme- think small, dainty accessories, nothing too heavy. Elements such as the legs of a floor lamp or picture frames are the sort of things we are after here.
The contrast comes in the greeny/grey colour to the top of the hills. This is perfect for your soft furnishings such as scatter cushions, throws and rugs. You can look using a lighter version for the walls too!
Here the palette has been expanded to 5 colours, adding two shades of grey for balance. You can see how neutrals are anything but boring!
When it comes to choosing decorative pieces, you want to stick to a maximum of three colours. Then it’s all about placement.
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As the image above demonstrated, there were on only three main colours being used; Grey, Taupe and Green. The room and furniture sit in harmony and not conflict, despite the notable difference between the colours themselves.
Stay cool
Decorating a room that faces south and has lots of sun/heat? Maybe a cooler shade will bring out the best of the space. Not only will it have an effect on the room’s temperature, but the colours and tones will change throughout the day as the sun’s path moves around, casting light and shadow.
Keep warm
Think about the room’s use and materials. Will you be using a lot of hard, shiny surfaces such as tiles in a bathroom or kitchen? If so, it may be best to avoid the colder colours such as light blues and go for warmer tones instead. Natural woods almost always make a space feel warmer.
I hope this has given you the tools to start creating your own palettes and I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour!
Sources, From Top to Bottom:
Title Image: Interiores Minimalistas
Decoding image: by via Unsplash
Palette: Images via our board on Pinterest