Homeowners often become overwhelmed when it comes time to choose a color scheme for a room. The tricky part about choosing a color scheme is that once you choose one color, you then have to decide what other potential colors to put in the room as well. So what’s the best way to choose a color scheme? One of the best tools to have at your fingertips is a color wheel.

What Is the Color Wheel?
Sir Isaac Newton was the first to use the color wheel. He performed an experiment with a prism. What he discovered was that pure white light had a wide spectrum of reflective colors. People have been using this spectrum of colors ever since. Known as the color wheel, it’s helpful for decorating and classifying colors.

The Classification of Colors Using the Color Wheel
The colors on the color while are basically classified into three different categories. 1. The primary colors consist of red, yellow, and blue. 2. Next are the secondary colors, or orange, green, and violet. These colors are created by mixing the primary colors. 3. Then you have the tertiary colors, including red-orange, yellow-orange, blue-green, and yellow-green. You combine the primary colors with the secondary colors next to them to create these colors.

Monochromatic Color Scheme Explained
A monochromatic color scheme is just like it sounds. This approach to color involves picking one color and then using only that color for the entire room. The key to this color scheme is to use varying shades, from light to dark, of that color. You can also use white in the color scheme, which will help break up the color.

Analogous Color Scheme Explained
A analogous color scheme will include anywhere from two to six different colors in the décor of a room. Here, you use colors that are adjacent to one another on the color wheel. For instance, the color red would use orange or purple as accent colors, since they are the colors next to red on the wheel. Start with your main color first, and then you can choose between you accent colors.

Complementary Color Scheme Explained
The complementary color scheme is one of the more popular approaches to color design. Essentially, you begin with a main color (such as yellow or red) and then go directly across to color wheel to find its complementary color. For yellow, for instance, the complementary color would be in the purple family. For the color green, you would look in the pinks. This can always be played with a little bit. Try mixing the family of colors: it could be green and pink, or it could be green and red.

Triad Color Scheme Explained
Another very popular design for homeowners is the triad color scheme. Here you use three colors that on the color wheel form a triangle together. One triad combination would be orange, green, and purple. Make one of these colors your main color and use the others for accent colors, or choose two colors and then accent with the third.

Remember also that both black and white are neutrals. So you can add them to any color scheme without changing that scheme too much. By playing around with the color wheel and some of these color scheme suggestions, you will be able to come up with some great options for the rooms in your home.

Many different factors go into choosing interior paint colors. Things such as a certain design style you’re trying to achieve or a piece of furniture you’re trying to match can all affect the choice you make for the paint color of the room. Even with all these different factors influencing your decision, there are still certain guideline you should follow when picking interior paint colors.

Don’t Rush Into a Paint Color Choice
Thousands of different interior paint colors are available, so it’s never a good idea to rush into a color decision without proper planning. The first step involves visiting your local hardware or paint store. There you can gather paint chips in whatever colors catch your eye and fit the style you envision for the room. Be sure to get a variety of chips. Things can look very different once you get home and see the color in the room.

Once you get home with your paint chips, it’s not enough to simply hold them up to the wall. It’s also important to walk around with them to compare them with the furniture, the flooring, and the windows. This will help you make sure that the color is well suited to everything in the room that you plan on keeping after the remodel. If you are having trouble picking a color, you may also want to ask for opinions from others once you have narrowed it down. Sometimes other people are able to see something that you don’t.

Make Your Own Interior Paint Color
If you’re having a difficult time finding a paint color that you absolutely love, consider making your own. In most paint stores, you can now find a custom service where they will actually match a color for you. You can bring in a painting or a fabric swatch from your room, and they will match the color for you. This can cost you more in the long run, but it is well worth it if you’re able to achieve the style you envision for your room.

Choose an Interior Paint Finish
Once you’ve determined your color of paint, you next need to pick out what type of finish you want in your room. It’s important to remember that the finish of the paint will affect the way that the paint looks. For instance, if can make some paint colors look darker or lighter, depending on the type of finish you choose.

• Flat Finish: This type of finish results in a matte or duller finish. If you want to camouflage imperfections, this is not a good type of finish, since the light will not reflect off the paint. This type of finish is also not advisable for areas that have a lot of traffic, as it is harder to clean than other finishes.
• Eggshell Finish: Just like an eggshell, this paint finish has a small shine to it. This is a very popular finish, since they are easier to clean and their subtle shine reflects light in the room.
• Satin Finish: Although this finish also has a small shine to it, it has a smoother appearance. Satin paints work great in high-traffic rooms, since they are much easier to keep clean.
• Glossy: This finish is as exactly as it sounds. What you end up with is a finish that has a very high gloss or shine to it. Semi-gloss finishes are also available that result in a little less shine. Glossy finishes are rarely used on a whole interior wall. Rather they are popular choices for accessories like trim and doors.

Paint colors can be quite easily changed, but you still want to make sure you do your best to pick the interior paint color that best fits your style and is easy on the eyes. Changing the paint color of a room, after all, can truly change the room’s entire look.