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Color of the Year 2024: Here’s what the leading brands suggest

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As every year, in the autumn, the major brands in the color industry make their suggestions for the color of the upcoming year; let’s see what the proposed for “The Color of the Year 2024” are!

– BENJAMIN MOORE – Blue Nova 825

This year, Benjamin Moore proposes a color that is actually a blend of blue and purple, an intense color described by the company as “inspired by the brilliance of a new star formed in space.”

Being part of the blue spectrum, it’s a soothing and, undoubtedly, very elegant color!

Andrea Magno, the Director of Marketing and Color Development, described the color as “a seductive mid-tone that balances depth and intrigue with classic charm and reassurance.”

It’s a color that can also be used on walls, but one should be mindful of the house’s orientation.

If the room faces north, it might be better to avoid using it on all walls, as it could become a bit gloomy and chilly.

Once again, Benjamin Moore offers a complete color palette to pair alongside Blue Nova 825.

This palette can be used in its entirety or selectively.

It’s a dynamic palette because it contains both warm and cool colors, light and dark!

– SHERWIN WILLIAMS – Upward

Sherwin Williams also opts for a shade of blue described as “airy and blissful.”

It’s a truly relaxing, bright, and energizing color!

Being very light and delicate, one can use it on all walls.

Upward is a color that pairs well with all styles and can even be used to give a fresh look to some furniture.

However, it’s a cold color, so it’s a good idea to warm it up somewhat with some warmer colors and perhaps some wood accents!

Here’s an interesting tidbit: Sherwin Williams collaborated with the French pastry chef Dominique Ansel for his vegan cronut filled with rice milk and glazed with dark chocolate, both made with butterfly pea flowers, a flower whose shade reflects Upward!

Sherwin Williams also offers a color palette you can pair (one or even all of them) with Upward.

These are colors that draw inspiration from the hues of nature, creating enveloping and relaxing environments.

– PPG – Limitless

For 2024, PPG proposes a warm and enveloping neutral color that, as the name suggests, can be used without limits!

It’s a sunny and energizing shade that one can apply to all surfaces and complements various styles.

As is the tradition, PPG also offers three types of color palettes:

– Volume I

It consists of calming hues and tones paired with earthy shades and cooler tones; it aims to represent the exploration of the world and harmony!

– Volume II

This palette consists of earthy and natural greens alongside warm, floral tones with some touches of vibrant blues and deep neutrals.

It symbolizes the transformation of the world with wonder and amazement!

– Volume III

These colors draw inspiration from the Baroque and Renaissance periods, Art Deco, and Pop Art, remarkably combining them.

In some sense, it’s a palette that speaks to challenging and reinventing the world!

– BEHR – Cracked Pepper

This year, Behr presents the exact complementary of last year’s color by proposing a black!

However, it’s not a pure black that might feel a bit dark; instead, it’s a soft and enveloping charcoal black that actually adds an extra dimension to spaces.

It’s a timeless color that fits well with every style, “awakening the senses and exuding confidence”!

It’s a versatile color that one can use as a neutral in any room of the house.

Like the other brands, Behr also offers a color palette to combine with its Cracked Pepper.

In this palette, you’ll find whites, neutrals, and pastels, accompanied by some bolder and more energetic colors, all inspired by nature.

– SIKKENS – Sweet Embrace

Sikkens’ Color of the Year for 2024 is a very delicate and soothing hue “inspired by soft feathers and the subtle evening clouds.”

It’s a dusty pink with a subdued beige-gray undertone that creates intimate spaces and atmospheres that exude calm and stability.

This color is a neutral and can be used in every room of the house, complementing any style!

Similar to last year, Sikkens offers three color palettes to accompany Sweet Embrace:

– Warm Colors

These are natural earth tones to create environments that harmoniously connect with nature, establishing cozy and reassuring atmospheres.

– Calm Colors

There are various shades of green and blue; these colors help create relaxing environments, making them well-suited for studies and offices.

– Uplifting Colors

This palette is decidedly more vibrant, thanks to the yellow-leaning colors.

Shades of blue and violet serve to refresh the palette, making it youthful and dynamic!

What’s your favorite color?

Tell me in the comments!

I hope you found this article helpful and enjoyable. If you did, please let me know in the comments again!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested; I would be honored, and it will help me get noticed.

If you feel that your home or any part of it doesn’t reflect you enough, don’t wait any longer and book your consultancy!

 

Do you love colors? here is the color playlist on my YouTube channel!

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Pantone: here it is the color of the year 2023

And, also this year, the Pantone color of the year 2023, Viva Magenta, has arrived!

(credits Pantone)

“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real. PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.”

These are the words of Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, of Pantone Color Institute, who also adds

“Rooted in the primordial, Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

Once again, Pantone comes up with a color that can “help” us get through the tough times, including pandemic, war, and rising prices; Viva Magenta, in fact, is definitely vibrant, exuberant, and inspiring, but also sophisticated!

(credits Pantone)

Can we bring Pantone color 2023 into our homes?

Of course yes, because this color will bring vibrancy to our environments!

This color is perfect for kitchens because it is a red that is not too “aggressive” and creates an energetic atmosphere perfect for this environment.

Also, it is great when used as an accent color even with large-scale furnishings such as a sofa, but honestly, you can also venture to use it on the walls, making it the focal point of the room.

(credits Pantone)

I would avoid coloring all walls with this color because, as they point out at the Pantone Color Institute, this color “packs a lot of drama even in small doses.”

Definitely to be used with caution in the bedroom: although the hint of blue certainly tones down the exciting component, it is still part of the red family!

(credits Pantone)

It’s a color you can pair with so many shades, both cool and warm, and Pantone is helping us again this year by offering 4 beautiful palettes to make the best use of Viva Magenta (at home, but of course not only!!!)

– EQUILIBRIUM

It is composed of warm and important colors in which Ultimate Gray and Grape Shape help calm this very vibrant palette down a bit.

My advice, if you want to use this palette in your home, is to use Ultimate Gray or Grape Shape as a base, Twilight Purple or Wilde Aster as a secondary color, and the others as accents.

– RESONANCE

This color palette puts warm shades with cool ones together, but all are pretty dark.

In this elegant color combination, Viva Magenta gives a vibrant note!

Again, I recommend using these colors sparingly and calming them down with a bit of white so as not to make it too heavy!

– FAMILY TIES

As the name suggests, this palette groups together colors of similar shades.

It is a combination of mainly pinkish colors with touches of browns that blend with Viva Magenta in a striking and lively tone on tone.

The colors are relatively light but still a bit bright, so they should be used carefully so as not to overdo it: don’t risk creating a house…wedding favors!

– IGNITE

It is a very bright pastel color scheme where Viva magenta stands out and brightens up the other shades.

Compared to the other palettes, it is a color palette therefore you can use it more lightly because of these somewhat neutral tones!

What do you think about this Pantone color 2023? If you like it, will you wear it or bring it into the house as well? In case how? Let me know in the comments!!!

(credits Pantone)

I hope this article was helpful and you love it; in case, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I will be honored, and it will help me get my name out there.

If you feel that your home, or some environment of it, does not reflect you enough, do not wait any longer and book your consultancy!

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Using neutral colors without making them appear flat

Neutral colors, mainly warm neutrals, are popular in interior design because they make rooms cozy, inviting, and relaxing.

However, one must know how to use them to avoid making them flat and boring, that will lead to somewhat impersonal rooms.

Choosing a neutral-colored palette often stems from the fear of making a mistake or overdoing the colors.

But even the misuse of neutrals may not give the desired result and, most of all, may not fully represent one’s personality!

If you want to learn more about how to choose neutrals for the home, I talk about it here!

One nice thing about neutrals is that they are the perfect base for virtually any style and are very versatile for color matching.

So let’s see how to make the use of neutrals attractive and dynamic!

– GIVE VALUE TO WALLS (AND CEILINGS)

Walls and ceilings seem to be the easy part: I choose the color, I paint, and that’s it!

Instead, there are many ways, many finishes, and techniques regarding painting, which used with neutrals can really make a difference by making the color more vibrant.

In a simplified way, here are three techniques that enhance warm neutrals.

– there is lime wash which is made of lime and other minerals, is naturally based, and is given with a brush.

Glaze effects are created that give depth and dimension to the color.

– there is Venetian plaster formed from marble powders with lime putty.

It has a thick consistency, so it’s given with a trowel, which makes the surface perfectly smooth.

– there is roman clay, a thick paint made from chalk and other natural ingredients; it is given with a trowel.

It creates a finish similar to Venetian plaster and looks like natural stone.

(credits: cose di casa; stelianadesign.ro)

In addition to wall paintings, you can also think about using stones, bricks, or wooden laths to give the room a little more dimensionality!

It is not mandatory, as always, to use these elements on all walls; on the contrary, but they can be helpful to enhance an architectural detail or create an original focal point.

(credits: marianaorsi.com.br; behance.net)

For more rustic styles, wood can also be used in the ceiling by putting beautiful beams!

This will help to give some rhythm to the environment!

(credits: greybirchdesigns; shopltk.com)

– PLAY WITH SHADES AND TEXTURES

To make your rooms appealing, it’s a great idea to use different neutrals, so add some warm neutrals to a room with mainly cool neutrals and vice versa.

And especially to play with the different saturations and shades of the various neutrals.

This thing is actually always helpful to give depth and movement to rooms, but it becomes all the more so when you choose a monochromatic or precisely neutral-color palette!

With the same principle, it is also good to play with different textures by mixing smoother finishes (both in fabrics and objects) with rougher ones.

(credits: haymespaint.com.au; editionnoire.com)

– COMBINE DIFFERENT STYLES AND PATTERNS

Neutral colors are a great tie-in for different furniture and accessories.

Putting different styles together is another great way to liven up the neutral color palette.

You will be able to create a play of shapes giving, over all, personality!

The same goes for patterns: mixing different ones will help make your spaces dynamic and contemporary.

In mixing patterns, I would say to avoid too strong color contrasts: better a tone on tone.

(credits: tthese_beautiful_thingss; shoppe.amberinteriordesign.com)

– USE LARGE DECORATIVE ITEMS

We’ve said neutral colors are calming and relaxing, so create something unexpected using large paintings or mirrors!

It will obviously be the focal point of the room.

Use particular patterns and, above all, some contrast to the wall to make it stand out.

However, this doesn’t only apply to paintings but, if you wish, also to decorative objects: think, for example, of a man-high vase with branches in it!

Or even a large plant that almost reaches the ceiling!

These are all things that help give rhythm and vibrancy to environments!

(credits:@anthology_creative_studio; amdesigns.com)

Pay also attention when choosing decorative items in general, choosing original pieces that can attract the eye by guiding it from one corner of the room to another.

Think of elements that are a bit out of the ordinary by creating distinctive and eye-catching compositions!

Sometimes, for this purpose, street markets are really a gold mine!

(credits: H&M Home; @hoskelsa)

I hope this article was helpful and you love it; in case, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I will be honored, and it will help me get my name out there.

If you feel that your home, or some environment of it, does not reflect you enough, do not wait any longer and book your consultancy!

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Color of the year 2023, here the proposals of leading brands.

We are now in the last part of the year, and like every year, we start talking about home color trends for the coming year, each brand proposing its color of the year 2023.

While waiting for the very familiar color of the year 2023 by Pantone, let’s see what other brands in the industry are offering us!

This year too, the call is to nature, although no longer only on the green, is very strong, but some dared a little more!

– BENJAMIN MOORE: Raspberry blush

Benjamin Moore offers a vibrant and charismatic color this year, a coral mixed with red.

“Raspberry blush enlivens the senses with electrifying optimism!”

It is a powerful color, far from the neutrals proposed in 2022, which will give a touch of character to rooms.

You can use it in small doses, but you can also dare on doors or furniture up to walls!

Fun fact: To commemorate this year’s selection, Benjamin Moore collaborated with electro-funk duo Chromeo to highlight the optimistic tone of the palette and the dynamic role that color plays in personal expression, just like music (you can find the track on their website)

Benjamin Moore 2023

(credit Benjamin Moore)

Benjamin Moore proposes a whole palette of colors, which, for them, will be the trend of 2023.

As you can see, the colors, if you exclude conch shell and new age, are all quite bold and intense.

When using these colors, I recommend calming them down with neutrals, like the four proposed by Benjamin Moore himself!

Benjamin Moore 2023

(credit Benjamin Moore)

– SHERWIN WILLIAMS: Rendend point

Sherwin-Williams offers a warm and intriguing color that goes well with all styles.

Basically, it is a neutral color, an earthy color with a hint of pink, a color that helps you feel rooted!

It is a soothing color, so it is also suitable for the bedroom, giving a touch of personality.

It is versatile, so in addition to fitting all styles, it also goes well with most colors, although it gives its best with white and other warm colors!

Sherrwin Williams 2023

(credit Sherwin Williams)

Fun fact: Sherwin-Williams worked with Etsy to find a selection of items that would go well with this color.

Sherwin-Williams also offers a whole palette of colors that you can safely pair together!

Sherrwin Williams 2023

(credit Sherwin Williams)

– PPG: Vining ivy

PPG stays in shades of green, although this year’s is a bolder green!

“It’s a deep, shaded Caribbean aqua with turquoise undertones” that goes with any style!

It is an elegant color that becomes truly gorgeous when paired with warm wood tones.

Relaxing, refreshing, and revitalizing, you can use it in all rooms, either as furniture or on walls!

PPG 2023

(credit PPG)

This year too, PPG offers three color palettes that include Vining ivy:

– Serenity

It is a color palette that combines pastels, watery tones, and warm neutrals, all calming and soothing colors that bring serenity precisely!

PPG 2023

(credit PPG)

– Duality

It is a palette that plays with contrasts: there are, in fact, pastel colors and very bright colors; it is for those who like to dare and give a touch of powerful character!

PPG 2023

(credit PPG)

– Origin

It is a palette that takes inspiration from the natural world, picking up the colors of nature, forests, earth, and sea…

PPG 2023

(credit PPG)

We can also find this color in one of the three color palettes proposed last year:

– Invaluable

Dark, refined hues, in short, an elegant color palette that winks at traditions!

PPG 2022

(credit PPG)

– BEHR: Blank canvas

The Behr brand chooses, as the color of the year 2023 Blank canvas, a warm, buttery, and enveloping white.

It is a calming and soothing color that you can use with all styles and in all rooms; you can use it alone, but it will be an excellent glue for many other colors.

It is less rigid and austere than pure white, it nevertheless retains its brightness, so it’s excellent on walls.

In an exclusive interview with AD, Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr, described the shade as “that perfect artistic color to allow people to start expressing their creativity.”

Behr 2023

(credit Behr)

Behr, too, offers a color palette that can be used in conjunction with the blank canvas.

They are all dusty colors, many of them echoing the colors of nature and the earth.

Behr 2023

(credit Behr)

– SIKKENS: Wild wonder

Sikkens, too, draws on nature with its Wild wonder, a color that echoes that of wheat.

A warm, positive color that reconnects us precisely with nature, bringing calm and serenity.

That, too, is a color that goes with all styles and can be used in all rooms, from the furniture to the walls, for a definitely relaxing and bright environment.

Sikkens 2023

(credit Sikkens)

This brand is no exception and creates no less than 4 palettes around its color of the year, all inspired by nature:

– Lush colors:

Resumes forest shades “help us make our homes feel part of the world”.

Sikkens 2023

(credit Sikkens)

– Buzz colors:

echoes the bright colors of the meadow and flowering fields; they are shades that “give energy, harmony, and joy”

Sikkens 2023

(credit Sikkens)

– Raw colors:

echoes the hues of the harvest, conveys “the wonder of nature’s products, and can give a sense of richness and creativity to the environment.”

Sikkens 2023

(credit Sikkens)

– Flow colors:

echoes the hues of the sea; they are delicate shades “capable of conveying a sense of balance in our hectic lives.”

Sikkens 2023

(credit Sikkens)

– FARROW & BALL:

As always, this brand offers more than one color each year: this year, as many as 11, all inspired by moments of joy, comfort, and refreshment.

Bamboozle is the somewhat bolder and more vibrant of these colors; the others are a bit more neutral.

All of them, however, including bamboozle, fit well with any style and can be used together to create an original palette that will give your home some character!

Farrow & ball 2023

(credit  Farrow & Ball)

Farrow & ball 2023

(credit  Farrow & Ball)

I hope this article was helpful and you love it; in case, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I will be honored, and it will help me get my name out there.

If you feel that your home, or some environment of it, does not reflect you enough, do not wait any longer and book your advice: just contact me!

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Three steps to create a color palette that represents you

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How to create a color palette for your home?

The topic of color is absolutely fascinating and quite beloved.

I often get questions about which colors to choose for your homes!

Knowing how to choose and manage colors isn’t easy, but it’s vital for creating harmonious environments that truly represent us.

Designing and choosing the colors and materials that will be present in your home is truly important to ensure that the various spaces communicate with each other in a coherent and balanced manner.

The color palette is really one of the first things to start with!

As we now know, colors create mood and evoke sensations and emotions, so choosing them carefully and consciously is paramount!

Therefore, let’s see the fundamental steps to create a color palette that suits you, your tastes, and your style!

– CONSIDER THE FUNCTION OF THE ROOM AND COLOR PSYCHOLOGY

Different colors evoke diverse sensations, such as excitement, relaxation, introspection, mystery, passion, etc. (I talk about the color psychology here)

Color can transform a space:

– making it seem warmer or cooler.

– visually expanding the room.

– enhancing the sense of well-being.

– brightening up the space.

Color is indeed the fundamental tool for creating the right atmosphere!

(different colors different atmosphere! Credits: mooielight.com; Sean Litchfield)

To choose a color, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

– What is the function and purpose of that room?

– What emotions do you want to experience in that space?

– Which color can help you achieve this goal?

The answers to these questions will help you find the right color!

This color will impact sensations and behavior, making the space functional and suitable for the specific activities of that environment.

PAY ATTENTION ALSO TO THIS…

There are other, somewhat more technical aspects to consider:

– Where is the room located?

– How many windows are there, and how are they oriented?

– Is there anything that could alter the perception of color in any way?

These questions give an idea of the room’s conditions and further aid in color selection (or at least in determining its brightness and saturation!).

Let me give you an example: if a room doesn’t receive direct light, it’s better to use light colors to bring the space more breathing room and allow the indirect light to reflect more.

That will still enable you to make natural light more efficient, as it reflects better on lighter colors!

– CHOOSE NEUTRAL COLORS

Neutral colors are essential in a color palette because they serve as a backdrop and can enhance various furniture elements.

Walls painted in neutral colors open up numerous opportunities; they allow us to incorporate furniture pieces with stronger colors without overwhelming the space.

When selecting the right neutral, the first thing to do is to determine whether to choose warm or cool neutrals.

(Warm or cool neutral give a different result! Credits: cocolapinedesign.com; H&M)

Opt for those that best represent your personality and style and complement the other colors in the palette and furnishings.

Choosing a warm or cool neutral may not be simple due to its undertone.

For example, you might choose a white color, but once the wall is painted, it may appear slightly yellowish or bluish.

That occurs due to the undertone.

Except for pure neutrals like white, black, and gray, all others are obtained by combining two complementary colors or adding a pure neutral to one color.

That results in a white, for instance, appearing pure, but ultimately, due to its undertone, it may indeed have a slight yellowish or bluish tint.

I discuss this aspect of neutrals in more detail here!

– CHOOSE AN ACCENT COLOR

Accent colors are crucial for creating movement and contrast and emphasizing significant elements of the environment.

Choosing neutral colors will facilitate the choice of an accent color, which doesn’t necessarily have to be vibrant but should contrast with the other colors.

To better understand, if you had a home with a palette of soft neutral colors and added a bit of dark gray or black, that would still be considered an accent color because the contrast between light neutrals and dark gray or black is high.

(Credits: leclairdecor.com)

If, however, you want to add a touch of a “real” color, the questions we asked at the beginning will be helpful.

For example, green could be the right solution if you have a living room where you want to convey a sense of calm, relaxation, and freshness!

(Credits H&M)

If you decide to have more than one accent color, you need to know how to pair them, and for this, it’s essential to understand color theory and use the color wheel!

How??? Well, I explain it here.

LOOK AT THIS

There’s a small detail to pay attention to when choosing one or more accent colors: it should be accurately distributed throughout the space.

Let me explain further: suppose you choose the color green; you should use it, for example, on a seating piece, in fabrics like cushions, rugs, curtains, objects, and artworks.

You can even paint a wall or a portion of it if you like!

(Credit: interior by @interiors_dd)

In short, it shouldn’t be a single point of color that otherwise would seem randomly placed!

Doing this will help you create rhythm, one of the six basic concepts of interior design (I discuss it here), and make everything cohesive and harmonious.

That’s good: now you’re ready to create your color palette and bring it into your home!

– 3 SMALL CONSIDERATIONS

To avoid massive upheavals when using colors that you like on paper, follow these three little cautions:

  • Start with one wall or room:

You never know, so begin with a small portion to be sure you like the colors!

  • Test the shades:

unfortunately, a color swatch is NOT enough to understand how a particular color looks in your home, nor is seeing it in the store.

Where possible, get small samples and try them on the walls.

You’ll also see how they adapt to your spaces and the natural and artificial light you have.

Light can change the perception of colors.

  • Choose where to use the color:

It’s not a trivial choice; light colors enlarge, while dark ones shrink, so using color in one place rather than another can change the perception of spaces!

If you use different colors in various rooms, consider how they communicate with each other; if you can see the dining room from the kitchen and decide to use two different colors, make sure they harmonize.

(Credits: Sherwin Williams)

My suggestion is to use a single palette for the entire house, with the only exception being children’s rooms, and if necessary, use more than one color in one room and another in another.

That creates harmony and cohesion.

I hope this article about bedroom color combinations has been helpful and enjoyable for you.

If so, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I would be honored, and it will help me gain more exposure.

If you feel that your home, or any specific area of it, doesn’t reflect your personality enough, don’t wait any longer and book your consultancy!

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How to choose neutral colors for home: 4 basic concepts

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How to choose neutral colors for home environments?

Neutral colors are widely used in interior design because of their versatility, providing a perfect backdrop for furnishings and architectural forms.

They help infuse elegance into spaces and evoke a sense of calm.

However, it’s easy to say ‘neutral colors,’ yet there are important factors to understand and consider when choosing the right color for your home.

Let’s explore them together.

WHAT ARE NEUTRALS?

Firstly, it’s essential to understand what colors we define as neutrals! Essentially, neutrals are colors that lack a high chromatic intensity; they have low brightness and saturation.

Neutrals fall into two categories:

– pure neutrals, which are white, gray, and black.

– near neutrals, achieved by mixing a color with a pure neutral or blending two complementary colors.

For example, if you take a blue and add white, at a certain point, it will lose saturation until it becomes almost white, with a hint of blue undertone!

That created white effectively becomes a neutral color but differs from pure neutrals due to its undertone.

1 – PAY ATTENTION TO THE UNDERTONE

The undertone is what sets near neutrals apart and is the reason why choosing them isn’t as straightforward.

It’s also why the result on the wall often differs from what we expected.

Due to this undertone, neutrals, even if they appear colorless, actually have them:

A white, for instance, unless it is a pure one, could have a slightly yellow or blue undertone.

That changes the perception of the space; a white with a yellow undertone will feel warmer than one with a blue undertone!

So, it becomes crucial to identify their undertone to be able to choose the right neutral colors!

Recognizing this elusive undertone isn’t immediate, but there’s a trick to uncover it: comparing the near-neutral with a pure neutral.

Essentially, you should place the color sample on a sheet of pure neutral paper, and the undertone will become immediately straightforward!

If you take a white by itself, it might seem just white, but when compared to pure white, you’ll immediately notice the undertone it tends toward!

The same applies to grays and blacks!

2 – WARM AND COLD NEUTRALS

Due to their undertones, near neutrals are further divided into warm and cold neutrals.

Warm and cold when choosing a neutral color are another crucial element to consider!

Knowing the undertone of a particular neutral makes it easy to position it on the color wheel and understand if it falls in the half of cold or warm colors.

From this, it’s evident that neutrals with blue, purple, and green undertones will be cold, while those with red, yellow, and orange undertones will be warm.

fotooooooooooooo

Choosing the correct “temperature” of neutral is paramount because it serves as the background and foundation for your spaces, style, and the emotions you want to evoke.

It’s also the starting point for creating your color palette.

Colors need to harmonize with each other to create cohesive and unified environments.

So, by knowing the undertone of the neutral you choose, then you can pair it with other colors following one of the six ways to combine colors on the color wheel (discussed here).

3 – PAY ATTENTION TO LIGHT:

The type of light in a room is a crucial element because it alters our perception of colors.

Direct natural light differs from indirect natural light and, of course, artificial light.

Artificial light, as we’ve seen on other occasions, changes depending on the color temperature of the bulbs, which can be warm, neutral, or cold.

For instance, a wall painted in pure white may appear slightly yellow with warm light and blue with a cold one!

To maintain the perception of the actual colors, it’s ideal for the ambient light, the general one, to be neutral (more on color temperature and lighting here).

For these reasons, it’s advisable to conduct tests and paint a portion of all the walls, observing their appearance throughout the day with both light, natural and artificial.

Also, look out for the various elements in the room and how they reflect light because this reflection will also change the color perception.

4 – STYLE AND ATMOSPHERE

Knowing what style and atmosphere you want to create in a specific environment is another crucial element in choosing the right neutral color for you.

Warm neutrals are generally the right choice if you want to give an inviting, cozy, and comfortable feel.

(credits H&M HOME)

Cold neutrals are more suitable if you prefer something more sophisticated and relaxed.

(credits cocolapinedesign.com)

For a minimalist style, pure neutrals are ideal.

(credits rikreainteriors.it)

In recap, when choosing a neutral color, you need to:

– decide whether to go for pure neutrals or near neutrals.

– if you choose near neutrals, understand their undertone.

– choose between warm and cold neutrals to best match them with the color wheel and the rules of color theory.

– finally, pay attention to the light and how it may alter the perception of colors.

I hope this article has been helpful and enjoyable for you. If so, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I would be honored, and it will help me gain more exposure.

If you feel that your home, or any specific area of it, doesn’t reflect your personality enough, don’t wait any longer and book your consultancy!

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How to combine colors at home?

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How to combine colors at home to create a palette that makes the environments unique?

Let’s see it together!

Color is a very powerful element with a deep psychological meaning (I tell about it here) that allows expressing one’s personality!

Proper use of color in the home will allow you to experience every room to the fullest because you will always feel represented!

A BIT OF THEORY

Let’s start with color theory, which divides all colors into three categories:

– Primary colors: red, yellow, and blue
They are colors that cannot be produced by mixing other colors.

– Secondary colors: orange, green, and purple,
they are obtained by mixing 2 primary colors (green, for example, is obtained by mixing yellow and blue!).

– Tertiary colors: the six colors obtained by mixing a primary color with an adjacent secondary color.

 

These three categories of colors, put together, form what is called the color wheel, and it is the one we will use to figure out how best to match colors!

SMALL PREAMBLE

Before we look at the various possible combinations, I would also like to give a very brief explanation of some of the terms that are used when talking about color:

– saturation or intensity: indicates the intensity and strength of the color.
We could say that it indicates color in its purest form; the more saturated a color is, the more vivid and bright it will be; the less saturated it is, the more muted, softened… tending to gray!

– hue: it is the pure color.

– tint: it is a color to which white has been added, which has therefore been lightened.

– tone: it is a color to which gray has been added.

– shade: it is a color to which black has been added.

In the color wheel, we find, for each color, its hue, tone, and shade.

 

Finally, colors are still divided into warm colors and cool colors:

– warm colors range from yellow to violet-red and are so defined because they are associated with the heat of the fire and the sun.

– cool colors range from purple to green-yellow, which are so defined because they are associated with the sea, sky, and glaciers.

AND NOW LET’S SEE HOW TO COMBINE COLORS AT HOME

After making this necessary introduction, let’s now see the possible combinations!

1) MONOCHROMATIC matching

You choose a single color, but of this color, you use the various tints, tones, and shades.

It’s a scheme that definitely emphasizes that color a lot!

To avoid the risk of falling into monotony, I recommend playing with different patterns, fabrics, and sùrfaces to add movement!

Also, remember to add natural fabrics or metals to give more three-dimensionality.

(credit Elledecore.com)  

(credit posterstore.co.uk)

2) Matching by ANALOGY

           

Once you have chosen a color, you match it with those immediately to its right and left on the color wheel.

These colors are also called adjacent colors.

Having the same undertone it will give a sense of harmony to the color scheme.

There is also the extended analogy, that is combining the first two colors to the right and left of the chosen color.

This combination will make the color scheme a bit more dynamic than the pure analog.

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(credit eminza.it)

3) matching by COMPLEMENTARIES

 

In this type of combination, you choose the colors that are at opposite poles of the color wheel.

It is a decidedly dynamic, high-contrast combination, so it is a good idea to use it in small doses or at least calm it down with neutral colors!

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(credit countryliving.com)

4) matching by SPLIT COMPLEMENTARIES

 

It’s the combination of a color with the two colors on the right and the left of the direct complementary.

Also, in this case, calming the contrast with neutrals is a good rule!

(credit welovehomeblog.com)

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5) TRIADIC matching

As for matching by analogy or split complementaries, you use three colors, which are obtained by drawing an equilateral triangle in the color wheel.

The primary colors and secondary colors form, between them, a triadic!

That is a dynamic and often unusual pairing!

(credit homedit.com)

(credit homedit.com)

There is a small rule that might be useful in matching colors of these various combinations to the best effect: namely, the 60-30-10 rule.

It means choosing one color as the “dominant” color and using it 60% of the room, perhaps on walls and in larger items.

Another color will be secondary and used at 30%, perhaps in curtains and less large items such as an ottoman.

Finally, one color will be an “accent” color and used at 10%, perhaps in pillows and objects.

6) TETRADIC matching

It is a 4-color match that you obtain by drawing a rectangle or square in the color wheel.

Honestly not an easy match that might give pleasing results, but the risk of a loud and unpleasant result is just around the corner!

(credit nzawa)

(credit Ingrid Rasmussen)

SMALL TIPS:

Before concluding, let me point out a few suggestions:

– it does not have to be all colorful: if you are a person who likes neutrals but you are drawn to these color schemes, you can include them in small elements, in decorations, such as pictures and pillows, in textiles, and other objects.

– with shrewdness and moderation, you can combine several palettes: for example, in a predominantly monochromatic room, you can give vibrancy with objects and decorations that have another type of palette, perhaps complementary!

– if you have different colors in the various rooms, tie them together with an accent color: it will act as a common thread making the various rooms, more harmonious and balanced.

For any doubts, do not hesitate to write to me in the comments, or book your consultancy!

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