Colors to paint the house

Learn to combine colors to paint the house, learn about the chromatic circle, harmony, contrast and the visual effects of color.

What color to paint the house?

One of the most frequently asked questions related to Interior decoration and that makes us spin our heads at a thousand per hour, due to the fear of making a bad decision is What color to paint my house?, and although it seems that this question is directed to the walls of the rooms, the truth is that it also applies to furniture and ornaments, since all the elements make up the environment and have a unique connection that we should not take lightly, Sure, if what we are looking for is to achieve a pretty decoration!

And it is that color plays a very important role in decoration; It manages to influence the mental state of the individual, since it transmits sensations; it also has the ability to create different visual perceptions just by playing with dimensions.

Maybe from the beginning, find the perfect combination of colors to paint the house It sounds a bit complicated, but in reality it is not like that, because we take care of making things easier for you by focusing only on the valuable information and explaining it clearly and simply.

How to choose the color of my house?

The first thing is to choose between harmony and contrast, In other words, do you want a balanced and serene color or do you prefer to highlight the decoration?

Harmony: When the colors produce a pleasant sensation to the eye. They convey balance.

Contrast: When there is a difference between colors. They affect the way they are perceived.

After choosing one of these two options, we continue with the choice of colors.

When searching ideas of combinations to paint the house I find words like hue, hue, tint, shadow, Although, I understand that they refer to color, but I get lost by not knowing how to differentiate between each concept, however, it is convenient to know what they are about and what link they have with the call «Theory of color«. So let’s do a little study on the basics of color to get a grasp on the subject!

Color basics

Primary colors: Yellow, Red Y Blue. They are colors that DO NOT are achieved by mixing other colors.

Secondary colours: Orange, Purple Y Green. They are colors that are obtained from mix of two primary colors.

Cold colors: They represent calm, tranquility, they are passive.

Warm colors: They give a feeling of warmth, joy, they are active.

How to combine colors?

Color theory refers to the group of basic rules in mixing colors to achieve the desired effect by combining. This theory explains how the colors we know are generated.

Hue: Primary and secondary colors and all their combinations. Pure color.

Dye: It is obtained by mixing a color with white.

Shade: It is obtained by mixing a color with black.

Tone: It is obtained by mixing a color with gray (black and white).

Chromatic circle

The chromatic circle It is a visual instrument where colors are presented in an organized manner according to their hue. Its main function is to show the relationship of harmony and contrast between colors in order to create combinations; they can be monochromatic, analogous, complementary, among others.

Complementary colors

Complementary colors are those that, when combined, stand out or contrast, in the chromatic circle they are face to face. They create striking combinations and are difficult to balance, but not impossible, when they do, the result is wonderful. Some examples are: yellow-purple, blue-orange, and red-green.

Interior decoration with complementary colors

The mustard color is complemented by a darkened blue; combining them in an appropriate way makes spaces look elegant and highlighting details. It is recommended to use it interior decoration with complementary colors in meeting spaces, such as the living room and dining room.

Monochromatic colors

Monochromatic colors reflect harmony, since it is a single color and its different mixtures with white, gray and black. It is usually the simplest combination and despite the fact that it is the same color accentuations can be carried out.

Interior decoration with monochromatic colors

The interior decoration with monochromatic colors is calm and simple by having one color as a base and maintaining the harmony with its different shades. It is perfect for bedrooms and living rooms.

Analogous colors

The neighboring colors of the chromatic circle are known as analogous colors. Their simple, easy-to-look combination works anywhere and can be used to highlight smoothly.

Interior decoration with analogous colors

When making an interior decoration with analogous colors we must consider two or three colors, one of them will serve as the base, while the rest will help to harmonize the environment. Analogous colors can use different shades.

Triad of colors

Interior decoration with triad of colors

The combination with triad of colors refers to the use of three colors. These colors are found forming a triangle within the chromatic circle, where each side maintains the same distance from each other. One of the colors plays the basic role, while the other two accentuate.

The combination with a triad of colors is one of the most common, since it maintains a balance in the decoration, but at the same time it has a striking touch.

Colored tetrad

Interior decoration with triad of colors

The color tetrad is very similar to the triad, with the difference that instead of combining three colors, it uses four. For the choice of these four colors, a square is formed within the chromatic circle, as can be seen in the image above.

All of the above gives us an idea of ​​which are the colors that combine to paint the house, perhaps this information you already knew from before, but if it is not your case, surely you were surprised to know how the color combinations work; especially since we never imagined seeing some colors together.

Easy color matching

Most of the time, when someone asks for advice on painting the house, they usually get the classic answers like White, Beige, Pearl, Sand, what if!, They are perfect colors that match any other color, but not everything comes down to them. With so many colors, we should at least try something new and try new options.

Now, if what you are looking for is a color to which you can change the decoration from time to time, but keeping the walls intact, Well then yes! the four colors mentioned above are what you need.

Tips for painting the house

Some tips that we should consider when painting are:

• Take into account the color of the furniture and floor that we have at home, in order to use a color or colors that combine with them, and thus achieve a complementary, monochromatic, triad or tetrad decoration.
• Know the dimensions of space to create visual effects, such as lengthening, enlarging, highlighting walls, etc.
• Light colors are not recommended for places where there are children and pets, but it is not a rule.
• Pick a color that is helpful and make the most of it, as color influences the mood.

If you want to know the meaning and how the colors influence, then I suggest you take a look at the following article What colors to use to decorate your home | How do I combine them?