Color combinations are essential in interior design for creating a space that feels cohesive and harmonious. Certain colors naturally complement one another, evoking balance and cohesion, whereas others can clash and disrupt the room’s aesthetic.
Colors can be transformative, but they are also deeply personal. You should always choose colors that inspire and delight you, but knowing how to layer them is essential for creating a design with depth and texture.
4 Color Combinations to Avoid and What to do Instead
Color combinations that do not work well together often involve colors that clash or create visual discord.
Combining Too Many Colors Bold Colors
Combining too many strong colors can result in visual overload and a sense of chaos in the room. Bold colors are naturally attention grabbing. When too many bold colors are paired together without a unifying element, there is no cohesion, so avoid using bold colors in equal amounts.
If you enjoy using bright colors, select one for your dominant color choice. Add a splash of another bold color in small amounts. You can also vary the intensity of the colors you choose to pair with your dominant color. For example, you might pair a strong blue with a few pops of deep purple to provide interest or with a shade of lavender for a softer contrast. Consider the color temperature and blend warm and cool hues to create balance.
Combining Neutrals with Mismatched Undertones
Colors always have a dominant color presentation and a less noticeable undertone. The undertone of a color influences how it appears and interacts with the surrounding environment. Undertones are the subtle hues that exist in a color, and neutrals like white, beige, taupe, and gray are no different. They can be warm, leaning toward yellow, red, or orange, or cool, leaning towards green, blue, or purple.
Determining a specific neutral color’s undertone is best considered when examining the hue in relation to other colors and how it appears in specific lights. Another way to identify a neutral color’s undertone is to compare it to pure white, as this will often reveal the underlying warmth or coolness of a color.
Using neutrals with mismatched undertones will make your design feel subtly disjointed. For example, pairing a cool gray with a warm beige will make your room feel slightly off, but pairing a warm gray with a beige creates a beautiful but subtle contrast.
Combining High Contrast Colors Without Balance
Combining two high contrast colors, such as black and white, can create a striking interior, but it can be visually overwhelming without the use of other shades to balance it. High contrast colors both compete for visual dominance. Without a moderating shade, these contrast colors may lack cohesion.
Introducing moderating colors can help provide a buffer to create a smoother visual flow between the contrasting shades. You can also add natural tones and textures to add a new color idea to the mix. For example, introducing shades of gray, natural wood, or greenery into a black and white room will add more depth and layers to the design. Incorporating patterns will add more visual interest to the stark color contrast.
Combining Neutrals With No Variation or Texture
Neutrals are a popular foundational color for interior design. There are numerous examples of stunning neutral interior designs, but this strategy is trickier than it appears. Using neutral colors with little variation or contrast can make a room appear dull and uninteresting. With a few adjustments, using only neutrals can be an effective strategy.
Rather than relying on a single neutral tone and shade throughout the design, use a variety of hues of the same or similar neutral shades throughout the interior space. This adds subtle contrast and depth to the design. Add texture with natural elements such as wood, metal, stone, leather, greenery, and natural textiles. Textures add more dimension to neutral spaces, making them more visually appealing.
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