It’s easy to get overwhelmed when decorating a home. With seemingly endless decisions to make, colour selection might seem like another chore. Use this guide to simplify the process and select a colour scheme you will enjoy for years to come.

Use Colour Symbolism to Enhance a Room’s Purpose

Each room in your home serves a different purpose, which is why you should use colour selection as an opportunity to set the appropriate tone for each room. Infuse your home with meaning and use your mind’s natural associations with your colour choices.

Red
True red evokes feelings of passion, love, energy, and power. Red immediately increases the energy level of a room—it even raises your heart rate, which is why people often pass it over for bedrooms. Red is a popular choice for dining rooms as it encourages a strong appetite. Red also can help stimulate conversation, which makes it a great choice for living rooms.

Blue
Blue represents loyalty, intelligence, wisdom, trustworthiness, and tranquillity. It has the opposite effect of red—it lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Blue is one of the most restful, calming colours. Reminiscent of the sea, this tranquil colour relaxes people. Use blue in bedrooms for a calming aura. Blue also encourages productivity. Consider using blue in a home office to increase your efficiency. Be careful when selecting a shade of blue—the wrong shade can either seem too sad or too cold.

Yellow
Yellow represents sunshine and light. It evokes joy and cheerfulness. Yellow also stimulates mental activity and makes small spaces seem bigger. However, yellow can quickly become overwhelming. Babies are known to cry more often in rooms with too much yellow. While there are ways to effectively use yellow, especially for beginning decorators, it often functions better as an accent than the main colour. Use yellow in rooms like the kitchen to increase metabolism and brighten the room.

Green
Green stimulates a feeling of calmness and good health. Some studies claim that green is the easiest on your eyes. Some claim that green helps people to let go of stress. Green combines the high-energy and cheerfulness of yellow with the calming atmosphere of blue. This combination makes it perfect for any room in the home.

White
White represents innocence and purity. It creates the perception of cleanliness because it dirties so easily. A pure white room may feel sterile and clinical, which is why hospitals use so much white in their décor and uniforms. White reflects other colours which make a room feel light and airy.

Black
Basic black is classic. This sleek colour represents power, stability, and elegance. Black gives an air of authority and formality to a room when used judiciously. Too much black in a room can seem overwhelming. Use black to show off other contrasting colours.

Brown
Brown is a solid, stable, warm colour that is evocative of the earth. Because brown is so common in nature, it complements a wide variety of colours, making it a perfect neutral for your home. Brown is a good choice for any room in your home. It does well as the main colour or a backdrop for your chosen accent colour.

How to Choose Which Colours go Together in Room Décor

Use Neutrals with Accent Colours
If the thought of picking coordinating colours overwhelms you, simplify your life and use basic neutrals with accent colours. Don’t get wrapped up in finding the perfect shades of four different colours. Stick with browns, whites, and black and one or two accent colours. For example, a strong shade of red can make a bold statement in an otherwise black and white room. You don’t have to worry about problems like clashing shades. Furthermore, using stronger colours as accents allows you to use colours that might otherwise overwhelm a room if used as the main colour, like bright yellows.

Use Paint Sample Cards
Stop by your local hardware store and grab paint samples of the different colours you want to consider for your décor. Use these paint sample cards to check out different colour combinations or compare the colours you want with the current colours of the room.

Use Fabric Samples as a Guide
If you need a little colour inspiration, hit up a fabric store and see what colours professional designers put together. Pick a few fabric samples that catch your eye and use those colours as a guide for the colours in your home.

Use Drapes and Rugs to Bring Colour into a Room
You can add a pop of colour into an otherwise bland room without spending a fortune or committing to a painted wall, new furniture, or new carpet. Use carpets and drapes to pull in your preferred colours. Go with neutral carpets and walls and incorporate coloured drapes or rugs to fully integrate the theme without a long-term, high-budget commitment. If in a year or so you want to switch to a new colour scheme, simply switch out the carpet and the rugs.

Don’t let colour selection overwhelm you. Use these guidelines to come up with a colour scheme that will enhance the aesthetics and feel of your home. If your colourful rugs are looking a little worn out, Babayan’s offers carpet cleaning services in Mississauga, and throughout the GTA.