• Home
  • About
    • France
  • Published
  • Contact
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

So Much Better With Age

  • Seasonal
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Spring
    • Mother’s Day
    • Outdoor
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Winter
    • Parties
  • Organization
    • Organization
    • Printables
  • DIY
    • Crafts/DIY
    • Home Repair
    • Paint/Wax/Stain
    • Sewing
  • Decorating 101
    • Color
    • Decorating
  • Baking Recipes
  • House Tours
    • My House Source List
    • My Current House
    • My Previous House
    • The Old, Old House
  • Shop
    • Instagram Friends
    • My House Source List

May 2, 2020 · 6 Comments

Color Theory for Decorating

Color· Decorating

597shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Do you know how color combinations are formed? Have you ever used an artist’s color wheel? This article explains the details on color theory.

For someone who LOVES neutrals, it may seem odd for me to write a post series on color theory, right?

Well I do have some news to share with you first. I’ve been taking an interior design program since the fall and I’m about to graduate! It has been so exciting learning all the intricacies of designing a space, the history of design and learning all about color theory.

Did you know that we see colors first before any other elements in a space? We see color then shapes, then all other elements.

Learning about color theory and how to use a color wheel takes the guesswork out of picking colors in decorating. But what is color theory anyway?

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click to read my full disclosure policy.

What is color theory?

There is so much to understand about color and initially I only thought using an artist’s color wheel was just for artists. But there is a reason that certain color groupings look good together and that’s why it’s good to understand how color groupings work. You will then have a foolproof way of decorating your home with color.

Using a color wheel is the best way to learn about the different color groupings and about color itself.

Artist's color wheel.

The Basics in Color Theory

Basic Colors on the Color Wheel:

Primary Colors

The Primary Colors are red, blue, yellow

Primary color image.

SEcondary colors

The secondary colors are made when you mix equal parts of these colors together to get orange, green and violet.

Yellow + Red = Orange

Blue + Yellow = Green

Blue + Red = Violet

Secondary color image.

Tertiary Colors

Tertiary colors are made when you mix equal parts of one primary color and one secondary color together

Red-Orange

Yellow-Orange

Blue-Green

Violet-Blue

Red-Violet

Tertiary color image.

Tint, Shade and Tone

Then if you take a pure color and add white, black or grey to it, they become a tint, shade or tone of a pure color.

TINT: adding white to a pure color

SHADE: adding black to a pure color

TONE: adding grey to a pure color

Look under RED in the color wheel below and you can see how the RED changes when you add white to it (TINT), or add black to it (SHADE) or add grey to it (TONE).

Tint, tone and shades on a color wheel.

Warm and Cool Colors

Warm colors: reds, yellows, oranges

Cool colors: blues, greens, violets

Cool and warm colors on a color wheel.

Chroma – the degree of vividness or intentsity

Color Temperature – warm or cool colors

Undertone – except for primary colors (red, blue and yellow) all colors are made by mixing two or more colors together.

color harmony groups

Here are harmony groups to decorate by:

Achromatic – colorless scheme (no hue) using black, white and grey only

Accented Achromatic – an accent color added to an achromatic color scheme

Analogous – using 2-4 colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel (yellow-orange / yellow / yellow-green)

Accented Analogous – using analogous color scheme and adding the complimentary color to the central color (yellow / yellow-green / green / violet)

Clash – one color and another that is directly to the left or right of its compliment (green / red-violet)

Complementary – using 2 colors that sit directly opposite each other (red / green)

Split Complementary – using any color along with the color either side of its complement (blue / yellow-orange / red – orange)

Double Split Complementary – using a combination of 4 color that contain 2 sets of complements (blue / green / red / orange)

Monochromatic – using a tint, tone or shade of just one color (1 color)

Tetrad -using a combination of 4 colours that are equally spaced on the color wheel (green / blue / yellow / red)

Triadic– using any 3 colors that are equally spaced from each other on the color wheel (green / violet / orange)

Looking at the color wheel below, in the middle you can see different arrows and boxes. You can see how the red-orange colors blend with the blue-green colors to have a COMPLEMENTARY color grouping.

You can also see how the points on the boxes produce TETRAD harmony groups, TRIAD and SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY groupings too. Using a color wheel is a foolproof way of seeing which colors (along with the correct tint, tone and shade) go well with each other.

An artist's color wheel.

You can buy your own inexpensive color wheel here.

In this color theory series, I’m going to be sharing examples of what each room looks like in each of the color harmony groups listed above. You’ll get to see how rooms are decorated in pleasing tones and will understand WHY they look good together because you learned how they complement one another in this post.

You can check out my new interior design website here!

Make sure to pin it for later!

How to Use a Color Wheel For Decorating?

click in case you missed:

Decorating with Complementary Colors

Decorating with Achromatic, Analogous and Monochromatic Colors

Decorating with Split Complementary, Tetrad, Triadic and Clash Colors

More from my site

  • DIY Vintage Valentine Pillow
  • The One Thing That Is Really Holding You BackThe One Thing That Is Really Holding You Back
  • How to Make An Easter Egg Tree + VideoHow to Make An Easter Egg Tree + Video
  • DIY Double-Sided Photography Surface + VideoDIY Double-Sided Photography Surface + Video
  • French Hope Chest Makeover

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

Previous Post: « Dining Room Design Boards
Next Post: Give Your Pantry a Polished Look »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aaron Quast says

    May 2, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    I am SO proud of you hun! ♥️😘

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 3, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      Thanks babe! xo

      Reply
  2. Shirley @Housepitality Designs says

    May 3, 2020 at 6:42 am

    Congrats Jamie and this was a extremely informative post on color!…thank you.
    Have a beautiful week!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 3, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      Thanks so much, Shirley!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  3. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    May 5, 2020 at 8:56 am

    CONGRATULATIONS, JAMIE!!! I am so so proud of you and a little jealous, in the best of ways!!! You have done what so many of us would love to do!!!!
    Thank you so much for explaining color! It is quite a difficult theory and you made it so understandable!
    xo

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 5, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      Aww, thanks Yvonne! It’s very exciting!
      Big hugs, Jamie

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




 

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Categories

My YouTube Videos

“somuchbetterwithage”

My Book, French Vintage Decor

“somuchbetterwithage”

Footer

Copyright

All images and text on this site are property of So Much Better With Age. Please contact [email protected] to ask for all photo requests. Please do not take my images without first obtaining written permission from me. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated.

Copyright 2010-2018

Categories

Archives

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for something?

House is clean, sun is shining, life is good. Hope House is clean, sun is shining, life is good. Hope you’re having a good Saturday💚 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #idcoathome #greigestyle #interiordesign #neutralhome #neutraldecor #lonnyliving #sodomino #whitekitchen #kitcheninspo #kitchengoals #mydecorlove #vancouverinfluencer #yvrinfluencer #canadiandesigner
Do you know what all these beautiful rooms have in Do you know what all these beautiful rooms have in common! They are all painted in the same paint color - White Dove OC-17 by @benjaminmoore. 💚 White is one of the hardest colors to pick for your home. It can pick up different surrounding colors which is why you can’t just Google a paint color and paint it on your walls. 💚 For my home, Simply White has worked the best. And White Dove is very similar. Swipe to see  some of these gorgeous rooms. 💚➡️ Check my blog post for tips on the best way to pick any paint colors for your home. Link is in stories and in highlights. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #whitepaint #whitewallcolor #howidwell #howwedwell #idcoathome #greigestyle #homewithrue #howtopickpaintcolors #whitedovepaint #benjaminmoore #designblogger #diyblogger
Last year I totally organized my kitchen pantry an Last year I totally organized my kitchen pantry and tea/coffee/vitamin station and I’m happy to say it still looks the same! Having a spot for each item that you use regularly is so important. Start by checking out my blog post and reading all the tips I have on how to easily measure your cupboards and buy only the organization items that you need. Happy organizing! 💚➡️ Check stories or my highlights for the direct blog post link. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #imsomartha #homeorganizer #homeorganization #homeorganizationtips #konmari #konmarimethod #kitchendesign #kitchenorganization #pantryorganization  #organizedhome #organizationhacks #organizingideas #designblogger #diyblogger #yvrinfluencer #vancouverblogger
I love green! The color and greenery. Although I k I love green! The color and greenery. Although I kill most plants so they don’t last long here. I know spring is far far away but this year is really dragging on so far 😂💚🌿🌱
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #jungalowstyle #mydomaine #apartmenttherapy #ruedaily #myplantaesthetic #greigestyle #idcoathome #howidwell #howeedwell #simplystyleyourspace #neutraldecor #instahomedecor #homewithrue #designblogger #diyblogger #vancouverinfluencer #yvrinfluencer
Making your own pillow covers is easier than you t Making your own pillow covers is easier than you think! I love changing out my throw cushions on my couch and just being able to store pillow covers is far easier than the whole pillow. 💚 I can only sew straight lines so if I can sew these, you can! It’s an envelope pillow pattern so no zippers or buttons involved. Swipe to see the back of the pillow (chair photo) ➡️ Check stories for the direct blog link and I’ll save it in highlights in my profile. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #pillowtutorial #sewingpattern #diyhomeproject #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #showemyourdiy #diysewing #diysewingpattern #diysewingproject #diysewing #envelopepillow #livingroominspo #yvrinfluencer #vancouverinfluencer #diyblogger #designblogger
Did you know how much of a difference trim, basebo Did you know how much of a difference trim, baseboards, doors, doorknobs and stair railings make? Like a huge difference! I’m talking all about it on my blog today. Lots of before and photos and details! 💚➡️ Check stories for the direct blog link and in a highlight in my profile. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #baseboards #doortrim #doors #stairrailing #stairrailings #homerenovations #neutraldecor #neutralstyle #neutraldecorating #idcoathome #greigestyle #howidwell #howwedwell #ruedaily #interiordesign #interiordecorating #vancouverdesigner #yvrinfluencer #designblogger
Our basement is the perfect place to store seasona Our basement is the perfect place to store seasonal / holiday / decor items. I’ve had plenty of it over the years (too much!) as I’ve been blogging for 10 years! I went through all my Christmas decor this year before I packed it all away and got rid of so much! It felt so good. 💚 Next, I’ll do the same for the other holidays coming up (like Easter, I have 2 bins just for Easter!). Decluttering is easier when it’s done in stages. I’m also really into minimal seasonal decor lately so I think it will be much easier to say goodbye to the extra ‘stuff’. 💚➡️ What about you? Do you have lots of seasonal / holiday / decor items in your home? ➡️ Check out my blog posts on how to organize these items in IG stories. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #organization #homeorganization #homedecluttering #imsomartha #idcoathome #homeorganizer #organizingtips #organizingideas #konmari #knomarimethod #yvrinfluencer #vancouverinfluencer
Sometimes it helps to look at your home in terms o Sometimes it helps to look at your home in terms of square footage not how the builder or the previous owner used it. My dining room was once a family room but with our small main floor already having a living room and a very small dining room, we thought this room would be better suited for a bigger dining room (swipe to see the before with the cabinet, the before before when we first bought it and the reno) 💚 It pays to look at your home differently especially during this pandemic. I think we’re all going to look at how we use our homes differently going forward. 💚➡️ What about you? Do you use a room for a different purpose than what it was intended for? .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #diningroomdecor #diningroomdesign #diningroomgoals #gooduseofspace #idcoathome #currentdesignsituation #simplystyleyourspace #neutraldecorstyles #neutraldecorating #mydecorlove #fromhousetohaven #vancouverinfluencer #yvrunfluencer #designblogger #diyblogger
Oh man, I am so sentimental. It really makes it ha Oh man, I am so sentimental. It really makes it hard to also be a person that is organized and hates clutter! I’m a sentimental purger! 😂 I feel most happy when everything has its place and I’ve kept a few meaningful things, but not too many. Just the right amount. It’s a very fine balance, isn’t it? Do you have a hard time with letting go of sentimental items? I have lots of tips of in my blog post ➡️ Check stories for the link and I’ll keep it in my organization highlight in my profile. Also, I share how to organize and store kids school memories and artwork with free printables!
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #sentimental #declutteryourlife #decluttering #declutteringtips #konmari #konmarimethod #mariekondo #imsomartha #homeorganization #homeorganizationtips #organizationhacks #howtodeclutter
The mini transformation in our dining room is now The mini transformation in our dining room is now complete! I took some black frames from IKEA and using Rub n Buff made them look vintage gold. 💪🏻 I’ve used Rub n Buff many times before but never over black! (Thanks for the tip @jennasuedesign 💚) ➡️ Check stories or my profile for a link to my blog post. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #diycrafts #howwehaven #howihaven #homewithrue #howwedwell #idcoathome #ssmakelifebeautiful #vintagedecor #showmeyourdiy #showemyourdiy #frenchvintage #cornerofmyhome #cottagehomedecor #frenchvintagestyle #yvrinfluencer #vancouverblogger #diyblogger #canadiandesigner

Copyright © 2021 · captivating theme by Restored 316
· Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more