As you may have realised, choosing the suitable colour palette for your custom home is not as simple as repeating the same colour everywhere! The art of curating a colour scheme is much more subtle and multi-layered but will play a massive role in the look and feel. Colours can inspire you, calm you or excite you. It’s all about creating the right mood for each room.
Putting together a cohesive yet unique colour palette for your home requires careful thought and planning. Consider a monochromatic scheme with varying shades of one hue, contrasting colours that complement each other, or an accent wall to add depth and visual interest. Before finalising the chosen colour scheme, view paint colour samples in different natural light conditions to see how they interact with various materials and finishes throughout your spaces.
Work with experts to determine a palette that enhances your architecture, matches your vision, and creates the perfect ambience in every part of your custom residence. With a tailored colour scheme, your dream home will feel cohesive, reflecting your style in each uniquely designed room.
Colours 101
A basic design rule is the 60-30-10 rule when planning your colour palette. In other words, your primary colour makes up around 60% of one room’s colour scheme, while two complementary accent hues make up 30% and 10%. You can also use a lighter shade or cooler colours of your primary hue to give it more variety rather than repeating the same hue. The 10% can be that pop of colour for that final touch to add your pizzazz to the room elements.
When choosing your colour scheme, work with an interior designer or visit a paint store to get samples that work well together. They can help you select a cohesive colour palette that sets each room’s mood and aesthetic. Don’t be afraid to mix warmer and cooler tones - complementary colours create a vibrant yet balanced feel. Consider how natural and artificial light will affect and enhance your chosen hues. With some planning, your tailored colour scheme will seamlessly unite your interior design vision.
Start From The Bottom – Then Work Upwards
What colour is your floor? This will affect everything else in the room and how it works together. (It is also probably the most complex colour to change in the future!) You can add a contrasting, colourful rug or an accent colour wall from here. If you’ve decided to have a feature wall, using the same accent colour throughout the house rather than having multiple wall colours is a good idea. This will unite your home, creating continuity and avoiding clashes with other rooms.
Interior designers recommend starting with your floors when selecting a colour scheme. Use a neutral or warm neutral for the floors, then choose a complementary wall colour. Accent colours in 1-3 shades can add pops of vibrancy through decor, window treatments and other colours used sparingly. This allows you to easily change the room’s look by updating the accent hues over time. However, establishing the proper colour foundation with your floors ensures a cohesive palette that makes your home feel harmonious.
Collect Examples of Things You Like
Collect Examples of Things You Like
Whether it’s a friend’s living room or the colour of the chairs at a local cafe, take note of things that stand out to you in different places. You can take a quick photo with your phone! Pinterest or interior design magazines are also excellent sources of inspiration to help you visualise how a specific colour would look in context.
When selecting colours for your house, consider design theories about how certain hues can make a small space feel more open or intimate. Limiting your palette to three colours is recommended, but you can blend warm and cool tones. As you gather inspiration, consider how those spaces feel and how they could translate to your custom home.
Most importantly, choose colours you’re naturally drawn to that reflect your style. With thoughtful curation, your examples can guide the creation of a tailored colour scheme that makes every room in your dream home feel uniquely yours.
Tie in Architectural Details
If your custom home will have unique architectural accents like stonework, wood beams, or tile, make sure to coordinate colours with these permanent details. Your colour scheme should complement and enhance the built-in elements rather than clash.
When selecting your primary colour palette, pull inspiration from the undertones in those architectural features. The right colours will allow the natural beauty of wood or stone to be the focal point. Using one colour repeated throughout various textures and finishes creates a cohesive, intentional look.
Working with an experienced design team ensures you choose hues that make your home’s architectural details sing. Follow us on social media for more tips on curating the perfect personalised palette for your dream living spaces. With careful planning, your colour selections will seamlessly tie together every component of your custom-built haven.
Have You Thought About Lighting?
When putting together your home’s colour palette, consider how natural and artificial light will impact the hues’ appearance. Depending on the lighting, the bold cobalt blue that inspires you in the paint sample may take on a different look in your living room.
Natural light from ample windows or skylights often has a cooler, bluer tone, while artificial light can skew redder and warmer. Where the colour falls on the colour wheel also affects how it changes. Light brings out vibrant yellows and oranges, but soft sage greens can appear washed-out and dull if not appropriately illuminated.
So make sure to view your colour samples at various times of day and with the lighting you plan to use in each space. Ask yourself if that sunny lemon yellow you love will work in a bedroom only lit with table lamps at night. Considering light ensures your colour scheme looks stunning on your walls, not just on the paint chip!