Inspiration

What is the Key to Colour Confidence?

If you are unsure as to the best way of adding colour to your room why not use the 60-30-10 colour rule, which is used by interior designers, to create well balanced rooms. This rule is simple to follow and it makes adding colour to a room as easy as 1,2,3.

The 60-30-10 Rule:

The rule states that for the most balanced, appealing look, you should choose a three-colour palette for decorating a room, which should be used as follows:

60% of the room is made up of wall space and large furniture pieces - this should be using the dominant colour, the one you want to build your palette from.
30% of the room is accent furniture, textiles, lighting - this should be using the secondary colour varying the tones to keep the room interesting.
10% is the variety in the decor, artwork and smaller homestuff - this should be the remaining colour as an accent in the patterns and textiles used. A few bold choices can help in adding depth and sparkle to a room.

How Does the Rule Work for the Bedroom?

Once you understand the 60-30-10 rule, you’ll be able to apply it to your bedroom. Luckily we’ve put together an example to help you.

A great colour combination that works well in the bedroom is a light grey as the dominant colour, a charcoal grey as the secondary colour and yellow as the accent.

The dominant colour is generally the colour of your walls, and often your floor and largest piece of furniture; in our case the grey. In most bedrooms, the dominant colour is a shade of brown or tan, white or grey, but it can be any colour you love enough to have on the walls.

The secondary colour adds contrast to the room. Typically, this is the colour used for furniture, curtains, area rugs, bedding or an accent wall; in our case a lighter grey. Any colour works in the secondary role, as long as it complements the dominant colour and pleases you.

The accent colour is the one that adds that extra dimension to the bedroom; in our case this is the golden yellow. Often, this is a bright colour, but not always. You might use black as your accent, or a metallic, or dark brown in a neutral room.

As long as your accent both contrasts and complements the other two colours, anything goes. Typical accent pieces include throw pillows, bedding, lamps and lampshades, artwork, small rugs, small pieces of furniture, such as an ottoman or bench, candles and other collectibles or touches of colour in the window treatments.

If you need any further help then visit our store where our team, will be on hand to give you advice and guidance on making your home perfect for you.

Key Points

Remember the 60 percent + 30 percent + 10 percent proportion is meant to give balance to the colours used in any space.
You don’t have to use the same shade for each element of the rule but the most effective use of colour should be close and complementary.
Most Importantly have fun!