How to use 3 paint colors in a room
How do I Coordinate 3 Paint Colors in a Room? | Home Guides
By Jo Burns
There are several reasons to use more than one paint color in a room. Paint can accentuate an interesting architectural detail or de-emphasize a room's awkward shape. Both of these accomplishments are desirable whether you are decorating a room for you and your family to enjoy or if you are readying your home for the real estate market. Coordinating three colors in one room takes some planning, but doing so can result in a space that looks fresh and updated.
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Select all three colors from the "warm" or "cool" palette of the color wheel for foolproof coordination. Warm colors include all shades of red, orange and yellow and cool colors are violets, greens and blues. Using three shades of the same color makes color coordination even easier. For instance, an icy blue, light blue and turquoise blue could exist in the same room harmoniously.
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Apply the lightest of the three paint colors to the ceiling.
Painting a ceiling in a light color will expand the space visually and reflect more light into the room.
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Paint an accent wall in the darkest of the three colors. Choose a wall as your accent wall that has no doors or windows to break it up. Think of it as the wall behind the room's focal point, such as the wall behind a fireplace. You can draw attention away from a long, narrow room's proportions by painting one of the short walls in the accent color, for example, according to the website House Painting Tutorials. If possible, choose the wall farthest from the room's entrance for best results.
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Cover the remaining walls in the medium-toned paint.
References
- Home Decorating Made Easy: Interior Design Ideas: Decorating Beginners
- House Painting Tutorials: Tips for Painting Accent Walls
Resources
- Dream Home Decorating: Color Wheel Chart
Tips
- After painting you can liven up a room by choosing furnishings and accessories in contrasting colors.
For example, orange is the color opposite blue on the color wheel, so accessories in shades of orange would add contrast to the room. Or you can opt for a more serene look by using only colors that coordinate with blue (those next to it on the color wheel). Furnishings and accessories in shades of white add a crisp, modern look to any color scheme. - No matter which three colors you choose, keep trim colors white or off-white unless you intend to repaint them throughout the entire house. Using the same neutral color on all trim pieces creates a sense of connection from one room to the next.
Warnings
- Use discretion when choosing paint colors for a small room. If you wish to paint a small room with three colors, choose neutral-colored furnishings and keep accessories to a bare minimum.
Writer Bio
Jo Burns has been a freelance writer since 1980. She specializes in articles relating to home and garden, alternative health care, travel, writing and crafting.
In 2007, Burns received an M.F.A. in creative writing.
How to Paint a Room with More Than One Color
By Jennifer Tzeses
| | Mansion Global
A vibrant entry hall offsets a clean-lined living room.
Photography Courtesy of Benjamin Moore
Each week Mansion Global tackles an interior design topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week we lookat how to incorporate two colors of paint in the same room.
Sticking with the same paint color throughout a room is expected, but why not dress your walls in more than one color?
"The immediate effect of using two paint colors within the same room is one of visual interest," says Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore director of strategic design intelligence.
"Color combinations in a room are another gesture of artistry and design and can help tie in or accentuate the room’s entire color palette created by art, textiles and accessories. Pairing colors is a fascinating exercise and with each new partner, color takes on a new identity," Ms. O’Neill says.
To make your walls come alive, take your color cues from these pro tips.
Pro Tips For Decorating with Ultra Violet, Pantone’s Color of 2018 https://t.co/iTLUNChFAn pic.twitter.com/L72yRkWx5z
— Mansion Global (@MansionGlobal) January 6, 2018
Choose Color with Care
"Color combinations do not necessarily have to come from the same color family. Bold, contrasting combinations will draw the eye immediately, so I would use these to spotlight unique features in a room, such as ornamental carving in a fireplace mantel, moldings around windows and doors, or raised paneling. Softer, more monochromatic combinations can be just as effective.
I just scouted a location that had four shades of gray on the window moldings.
"I just saw a red lacquered floor with a painted black border in a townhouse library that said it all.
"There is an art to assigning the right ratios when applying color to a space—you wouldn’t want the room to look like a patchwork quilt. A safe formula is 70% for the walls, 20% for trim, and 10% for an accent color.
"When it comes to wainscoting, or using two colors on the same wall, I would always paint the lower portion of the wall in the darker color. This technique was originally designed to hide scuffs from foot traffic and furniture. Darker shades on the lower area of the wall also ground the space; lighter shades at the top elevate the sense of space."
A tone-toned foyer is anchored by a darker hue closer to the floor.
Photography Courtesy of Behr— Ellen O’Neill, New York-based Benjamin Moore Paint director of strategic design intelligence
More:How to Design Inside an Open-Plan Living Layout
Be Strategic
"The proper use of two paint colors in one room can add subtle elegance or impactful visual contrasts to a room's overall feel.
The colors do not have to come from the same family.
"If the intent is to highlight a wall to create a feature, this might be an area you choose to do a different color. It’s likely to be the first thing your eyes go toward when you walk in the room, so take proper care in selecting the tone.
"Then you may want to highlight an architectural feature. Color can also be used to anchor a large piece of furniture, such as a bed in a bedroom. And give some love to your trim and doors. Painting out baseboards, casings and doors in a strong color provides high style.
This white foyer has a graphic pop by way of black trim and detailing on the walls and door.
Photography Courtesy of Benjamin Moore"I always like to remind people of the fifth wall, the ceiling, because it’s unfortunately often forgotten. This can be a great place for an accent color. A brighter tone will expand the space, and a darker one will bring it in.
"There is a 60-30-10 color rule when it comes to design: 60% of the room (including its painted surfaces and décor) represents your dominant color choice; 30% is applied to a secondary color; 10% is for the accent color.
Color theory suggests using a tint as the dominant color in the room, a toned color as the secondary color, with your accent color being the most vibrant and pure hue of the three.However, I say rules are meant to be broken. If you feel a room needs more of a certain hue, follow your heart.
"Finishes are key. My recommendation for our clients at my interior design boutique always includes using a washable matte for the walls and ceilings, and satin for all doors and trim. This delicate distinction makes a sizable difference."
—Yanic Simard, Houzz contributor, owner and principal designer at Toronto Interior Design Group
More:How to Design a Spring Garden with Distinction
Think about the effect
"Lighter colors will give the illusion of space and darker colors will make the room feel smaller and cozier. Using monochromatic colors—shades from the same color family—creates a subdued, immersive effect. For a neutral option, paint the bottom half of the wall a dark gray and the top half a cooler shade.
For a pairing that’s both balanced and bold, use cherry red alongside a softer, more delicate shade.
"Also, try playing with opposite sides of the color wheel, like blues and oranges, for an unexpected combination. Colors next to each other on the color wheel, such as greens and blues or reds and oranges, will create an enriching effect.
When selecting two colors for one room, it is important to choose one that is a white or more neutral in color as not to compete or fight with the accent color.
"If someone is interested in two tones, I generally suggest painting an accent wall or using another color on the ceiling as a ‘fifth wall.’
"Although creating two horizontal sections is the most common approach, vertical sections and geometric color blocks are other methods to explore. If you want a more modern approach, disregard traditional moldings and paint a geometric shape across the entire wall. If you have very high ceilings, you can paint the ceiling in an accent color, bringing the line down the wall about a foot to give the effect of faux crown molding.
An accent wall is even more interesting thanks geometric shape in gradations of neutral shades and a pop of peach.
Photography Courtesy of Behr"The walls don’t necessarily have to be split in half. An uneven split can add even more dimension. You might add a small strip of color to the top half to create the illusion of height or add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral room by painting a horizontal section in the middle of the wall.
"For a different take on the two-toned approach, create contrast using similar colors in different sheens, like matte paired with high-gloss."
— Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr Paint in Santa Ana, California
More:Click to read more news and stories about luxury home design
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10 ways to transform your interior with paint
Tips
House in Marrakesh by Caitlin and Samuel Doe-Sandes.
Transition
Emphasize the transition between rooms with door decor. Paint the frames and the outside of the door the same shade as the wall, and paint the inside a contrasting color that rhymes with the decor of the room.
Nature tones
Walls painted in matte neutrals bring splashes of bright natural colors to life: ocher, dark green, blue.
Wall painting
Geometric shapes proportionate to space can turn a room into a branch of a contemporary art gallery. First draw the outlines with a pencil, and then remember to use masking tape to keep the drawing neat.
Playing with contrasts
Dark ceilings are increasingly appearing in private interiors. The contrasting option visually enlarges the space, and made in the same scale, on the contrary, reduces it - ideal for a bedroom or a chamber dining room. If you undertake to repaint the entire room, start from the ceiling, eliminating the possibility of accidentally getting paint on the finished walls.
Wooden doors
Visually raise the ceiling by painting it in a lighter shade of the same color as the walls. Massive vintage-style wooden doors are quite suitable for a modern space - paint them in a contrasting color (don't forget about the primer!).
Detailed approach
Look at the architectural features of the house and think about how you can play with them. Brick that echoes art objects on the wall, stucco painted in bright colors, fillets or baseboards made of unusual materials - all this will help turn the house into a stylish space.
A room within a room
Even a less functional area in a house can be transformed with paint. Here, for example, a small space under the stairs has become a mini-dining room. The built-in chairs, which also serve as a storage system, contrast with the walls, while the ceiling is left white to visually enlarge the space.
Bright floor
A bright color will suit a light narrow corridor. Test the oil-based paint on a small area and let it dry overnight to make sure you're making the right choice before you tackle the entire floor.
Art for life
The headboard, decorated with a geometric pattern, can be continued on the walls. Don't know which color to choose? Take your favorite piece of art as inspiration.
Dark bottom, light top
Walls painted in two shades look spectacular. We follow the dress code rule and paint a third of the wall with a rich color so that the transparent tone creates a feeling of airiness and spaciousness.
Anisimova Nina
Tags
- paint
- bright
3 Color Combination Rules in the Interior
You very often ask how to combine certain colors in the interior.
And it is especially difficult to answer this question in the comments without an illustration, since my selling red may differ from yours. Therefore, I have prepared this issue to help you choose the color for your interior.
Planning the color palette and materials is essential to make the interior coherent and create a comfortable visual range.
Your choice of color can be influenced by your emotions at the moment, so you must be careful when choosing a color. Do not do it spontaneously or during hormonal surges. In today's video, I will talk about the main points that you need to consider when choosing a color palette.
01. SPACE AND COLOR PURPOSE
Think about the purpose of the room and the purpose of the color. What does it mean? That different colors create different moods. Advance various feelings such as excitement, relaxation, tranquility, passion and so on.
Colors can transform a space. They can convey an eco-friendly and healthy atmosphere.
Make your space visually larger, warmer, more comfortable. Colors can illuminate dark corners. Or even set the dynamics and rhythm of the interior. Color is the basis with which designers create the mood of a space.
The first thing you need to do is answer a few questions:
What is the purpose of this space and what are its functions?
What mood do you want to create in this room?
What colors will help you achieve this mood?
The answer to the first question will help you determine what you need this space for. And maybe you think this question is too simple? The bedroom is for sleeping. Kitchen for cooking. But besides the main function, there are also secondary ones. Should the bedroom relax you or energize you? Will there be a workplace or a table for makeup. This understanding, in turn, will tell you the necessary mood that should be created in this space. And having understood the mood, you can decide on the color that conveys this feeling.
So we have decided on the direction, now we need to take into account other more technical questions
Where is the room?
How many windows are there and which side of the world do they face?
Is there an outdoor landscape or objects that can affect color perception?
These questions will help you look for factors that may affect your choice of paint color. For example, if the windows face north, or there are a lot of trees around the house, then you should choose light colors. They will help compensate for the lack of sunlight.
02.NEUTRAL COLORS
Choose natural colors. In general, a good room color palette consists of neutrals and accent colors. It is good to start color matching with neutral colors. Those colors that will be the background for your space. They are calm and dim, their task is to be a canvas for demonstrating other elements of the interior.
Neutral walls offer limitless decorating possibilities.
We can safely use bright colors in decor items, and then change these accents when we get bored with them. Without repainting the walls.
Decide whether you want to use warm or cool neutrals. To do this, you must decide what kind of atmosphere you want to create. For hot regions, cold shades are more suitable, and in cold regions, you feel more comfortable in warm color combinations.
In one of our latest videos, we talked about how to choose the right color for the floor, taking into account the style of your interior. Link to this release.
03. ACCENT COLORS
Accent colors are needed to provide contrast and emphasize important elements of a space. Selecting a neutral color will make it easier to choose accent colors. As the name implies, an accent color should draw attention to itself and emphasize individual elements, creating a contrasting composition.
Accent colors do not have to be bright, but they should be contrasting.
For example:
In a minimalist or Scandinavian style, you can use light neutral colors as a background and use black or dark gray as an accent. This monochrome palette has a very high contrast that allows you to emphasize something special in a space.
On the other hand, maybe you want a bright interior. And having answered the questions that I gave above, you already know what colors are suitable for a children's playroom. If it is supposed to bring happiness to children, stimulate their creativity, then bright accent colors, such as orange-yellow or red, will come in handy.
Accent colors should be distributed evenly throughout the space. For example:
If you use a blue accent color, then use it on the ottoman, on the picture, on the chairs. This way you will create a rhythm in space. This will make the space unified. Your mind will combine all elements with the same color, creating a sense of unity in the room. This is a fundamental principle of interior design.
By the way, on the websites of most paint manufacturers there are selections with good color combinations. There you can easily pick up neutral and matching accent colors for yourself. Who is subscribed to my instagram has already seen my main assistant in the selection of flowers. This is a scanner that reads the color of the surface and transmits it to the phone. And then, in the application, you can choose good combinations for this color according to Rahl and even choose the name of the paint from various manufacturers.
Now I want to give you two tips on how to successfully apply your selection to a real interior.
The first piece of advice is to do a little experiment. Before you buy paint for the whole house, buy a small can first. And make some small tweaks. It’s better to take your time and try on the color so you don’t have to worry later. Look at the colors at different times of the day. And remember that interior items, whether it be a floor or a closet, will also affect the color, making it lighter or darker.
