I often say “the color has to come from somewhere.” Great interiors are created thoughtfully not haphazardly which is why picking a wall color or any other color in the room “just because” leads to a mess.
Colors for a room or home, a.k.a Color Palette, come from what I call a “color key.” Works like a charm, every single time.
Color Key: This is your color road map for interior success. An object used as the basis for the color scheme of a room or home. It may be a piece of fabric, artwork, or a rug. Colors which appear in a color key are selected for areas and furnishings. Each color used in the room or home needs to appear in or coordinate with this piece.
Starting with this floral fabric in orangy-red, green, flax and brown fabric from ROMO Fabrics as our color key, here are a few things to coordinate.
Add the Angles vase from Steuben for the red/orange flowers.
Cotton rug from Dash & Albert.
Photos via respective companies listed.
Just focus on a couple of colors from the color key and repeat these throughout the room. I might focus on creamy textures for the upholstery fabric. A red chair could be fun. But keep the design easy on the eyes. Though I like the green, just leave it in the main fabric. Let green appear only in the greenery of fresh flowers, nothing more. Too many colors (even for someone like me) can get a bit cartoony if not handled well.
Modern way to use a color key combines fewer color changes and patterns in both fabric and materials. This creates a more simplistic palette for a softer and more relaxing interior.
Using a color key for any room as an easy-to-follow road map can yield professional results. If a color doesn’t relate to a chosen color key, it probably doesn’t belong in a room. A color key is your secret weapon against creating a color disaster and your foolproof tool for color scheme success.
2 Comments
This is useful info and I feel better prepared for my next painting project already – armed with my color key I can do it well!
Rebecca
PS – I think the homeowners’ in our post used a color key to create a cohesive and beautiful palette throughout the house: http://blog.17thandriggs.com/2011/04/monday-design-tip-paint-staging/
Glad I could help. The color key makes life sooooo much easier! Thanks for reading.
Decor Girl
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