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Understanding & Using Color

Swoosh of colors. Liquid colors swoosh in a transparent orb. How color works in motion.

** Updated March 24th, 2023. Originally posted December 16th, 2022.

Undertaking a kitchen remodel or design project can be quite the undertaking as it involves a multitude of decisions and considerations. With so many options and variables to consider, it is helpful to gain a better understanding of the project and make informed decisions. Learning to understand color is the first step in learning how to use it in art and design.

In the world of interior design, choosing the right color palette and finishes can make all the difference in creating a cohesive and visually appealing space. Whether you’re customizing IKEA cabinets or embarking on a full home remodel, it’s important to understand how color works and how to create a personalized color palette that reflects your style and personality. This week we break all of this down so you can approach your design project with confidence.

Understanding & Using Color. Understanding Color will blow your Mind.

What is a Color Palette?

A color palette is a combination of colors used as the visual foundation of a design that work together harmoniously to create a cohesive look. Depending on the goal, these colors can be selected in several ways and allow for tasteful variations throughout a home, piece of art, etc. But, how do you know which colors will work well together?

First, lets get some basic terminology out of the way:

  • Hues: Refers to pure colors.
  • Tints: Adding White to a Color.
  • Shades: Adding Black to a Color.
  • Tones: Adding Black and White (Grey) to a Color.
  • Saturation: Purity of a Color.

The Color Wheel

According to Canva’s post on the Color Wheel, Isaac Newton invented the color wheel in 1666 by mapping the color spectrum onto a circle. While artists and designers use the color wheel as a tool for creating aesthetically pleasing designs, it also has a deeper emotional significance. By understanding how colors interact and group together, designers can evoke specific emotional responses in their audience, making the color wheel an essential tool in the world of design.

Understanding & Using Color. The Color Wheel is the single most important tool in art and design.

Colors & Categories

No matter where you are starting or ending up in your design adventure, there are basic principles of color theory and how to work with and around your choices.

theory wheels 3-6-12 color matters. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Color Matters

Primary Colors are where we always start. With Red, Yellow, and Blue you can get to wherever you want to go.

Secondary Colors are, by way of the color wheel, when you mix primary colors to create new, mid-way creations: Green, Orange, and Violet.

Tertiary Colors are created when you combine Primary and Secondary colors. At this point these hues have hyphenated names: Yellow-Orange, Red-Orange, Red-Violet, Blue-Violet, Blue-Green, and Yellow-Green.

Color Temperature

As we go from 3 to 6 to 12 colors and beyond it gets a little difficult to wrap your head around the notion of Cool Vs Warm colors. We all have lifelong associations between colors and temperature and how to measure that makes sense across any version of the color wheel. Yellow we know as warm. Red we associate with Hot. Blue we see as cool for a multitude of reasons.

Color Wheel Temperature OLD MODEL Sensational Color 1. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Sensational Color

What is undeniable is that there is psychological weight to a lot of Primary and Secondary Colors. To explore these ideas read more on Color Psychology in Vectornator’s article on the Color Wheel.

Color Harmony

Color harmony is the art of combining colors in a way that is pleasing to the eye. It involves understanding color and the color spectrum and how different colors relate to each other. To create a balanced color palette, it’s important to consider the desired effect and the number of colors needed. There are various techniques for pairing colors, each with its own unique effect. By understanding these techniques, you can create beautiful and harmonious color combinations.

Swoosh of colors. Liquid colors swoosh in a transparent orb. How color works in motion.
Image Source: Canva

Monochromatic

Monochromatic design involves using a single color and exploring its various shades, tones, and tints. This approach can be applied to anything from a piece of furniture to an entire wing of a home. By using a single color, designers can create subtle cohesion and harmonies that are both elegant and understated.

monochromatic colors wheel graphic. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Canva

Complementary

Complementary colors are (often directly) across from each other on the color wheel. With a complimentary color palette it is easy to accomplish more of an impact through thoughtful placement of the opposing color.

complementary colors wheel graphic. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Canva

Analogous

By taking a corner of the color wheel you can open up your design with your own piece of the color spectrum. However, without choosing a primary color to anchor your design this approach can be a bit of a tsunami or soup of that corner of the color spectrum.

analogous colors wheel graphic. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Canva

Triadic

Choosing 3 colors that are evenly spaced on the color wheel will present you with great contrast and variety. This 3 color relationship is the most common in home design for it’s balance of sensible variety and impact.

triadic colors wheel graphic. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Canva

Tetradic

Four evenly spaced colors off the color wheel offer up a lot of opportunity. Of course, to balance these opportunities it is good to select a dominant color for a given room, wing, or the entire home interior. The more colors you include the more focus is needed to balance the color scheme.

tetradic colors wheel graphic. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Canva

How to Create a Color Palette

Now you want to figure out exactly which colors you will be using for your color palette. Maybe you flexibility for the ideas you have for a nook, a room, or an entire wing of your home. What are some easy tools you can use to play with color harmonies? The Spruce published a great article with a comprehensive list of great tools, but here are our top two recommendations.

ColorSnap

For years our clients have been using the Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap Visualizer tool to select paint finishes for the custom IKEA Cabinet fronts they order from us. Using this as a Color Palette Generator for the entire home is as easy as can be. Upload photos or renderings of any space in your home and start exploring. Have fun with it.

Sherwin Williams Color Snap Visualizer Landing Page
Image Source: Sherwin-Williams

Color911

For a versatile, mobile Color Palette Generator with several ways to put it all together the Color911 app is brilliant. Use your own photos, play with stock photos, invent your own colors using the Color Wheel or sliders, and save palette ideas to experiment with. Developed by renowned Color Expert, Amy Wax, this app could be exactly what you need to create all your color schemes for your entire design.

Color911 Phone App Demo. Designing or remodeling your kitchen or home is such an involved process that most homeowners end up with a million questions. Sometimes it’s difficult to get clear answers that help you gain a better understanding of your project. This week we show how color works, how to create your color palette, and how to choose finishes for your IKEA cabinets or home remodel. You ave limitless options on interior design color schemes so lets take a look at how to create yours.
Image Source: Color911

How to Choose Finishes

the 60-30-10 Rule

What is the 60-30-10 Rule? This is a tried and true decor rule that helps to balance a color scheme for any given space. According to Sara Lynn Brennan:

60% of the room should be the dominant color.

  • Walls
  • Accent Pieces
  • Sofa
  • Rugs

30% should be the secondary color.

  • Painted Furniture
  • Side Chairs
  • Curtains

10% should be an accent.

  • Throw/Pillows/Patterned Fabrics
  • Decorative Accessories
  • Artwork
Color Palette: Seaside Apartment - Informed use of Color - utilizing nature and it's tones in design.

Now Break the Rules

Once you have established the color palette for your new home design, IKEA kitchen remodel, or to have something to do on a Sunday afternoon, now it’s time to break some of those rules.

We at Dendra Doors love real wood veneers, aluminum frame glass doors, and patina metal wrapped doors. All this time choosing and balancing the colors you will use should be deliberately disrupted in key spots throughout your design. More than that, for rooms, a large piece of furniture, or a kitchen island, consider shifting your dominant color.

Whether you’re here with a full home remodel ahead of you (7 Steps to Create Your Whole House Color Palette by Jackie @ School of Decorating) or you’re refacing your IKEA Sektion kitchen: Consider shifting your dominant color for one or more rooms, a kitchen island, or a bank of wall cabinets. Break the rules and have fun doing it.

Written by Todd Zimmerman

Producer of the John Webbccast

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