▲The color wheel is made up of 6 colors. These include three primary and three secondary colors:
     Primary: Red, Blue, Yellow - cannot be mixed from any combination of colors
     Secondary: Green, Orange, Purple - are combinations of the primary colors

 ▲Cool colors are GREENS, BLUES, AND VIOLETS. These colors recede.

▲Warm colors are REDS, ORANGES, AND YELLOWS. These colors advance.

▲Complementary colors = opposite colors on the color wheel. These  colors work well together. When used in an interior setting, they should be used in equal amounts with equal tone or intensity.

Red complements Green
Yellow complements Purple
Orange complements Purple
Orange complements Blue
Yellow complements Blue

 ▲Harmonious colors = the colors next to one another on the color wheel.

Red and Orange
Blue and Purple
Blue and Green
Green and Yellow
Yellow and Orange
Red and Purple

 ▲In the 1920’s the color star was developed and includes 12 colors:

3 Primary Colors
3 Secondary Colors
6 Tertiary Colors

      ▪Mixing two secondary colors together creates Tertiary Colors.

▲Hue

     ▪Another word for color.

▲Tint 

     ▪Adding white to a color.

 ▲Shade

      ▪Adding white or black to a color changes the shade of that color.

▲Value

     ▪Lightness or darkness of a color.

 ▲Tone

      ▪Tone describes different gradations of a color. There are warmer and cooler tones of a color.  Every color has a different tone or undertone. To help see a color's undertone is to put the color next to the other colors used in a room.

The following are a few color themes.

Calming (complimentary, cool colors) Nothing calms the nerves like blues. A baby's room in light blue or a contemporary bathroom in navy with stainless steel accents.

Tranquil (analogous, muted and neutral colors) Tranquility is bestowed by muted hues. Neutrals, blues, greens and browns help to transition the outdoors in. A study, den or room in muted colors or a relaxed kitchen to be bathed in morning sun.

Vibrant (tertiary or triadic) Colors that are intense or saturated create a feeling of excitement and energy. Perfect for an exercise or craft room.

Solid (chiaroscurro, neutrals) Excellent for a coat room, sewing room, bathroom or bedroom. When you want that understated look or old cottage feeling.

Inviting (analogous, warms) Excellent for a child's room, lobby, or retreat. Adorn this room with curtains, wicker, full-length carpet and handmade quilts to top it off. Brass accents help give the room a glow.

Color Schemes

Monochromatic	Shades, tints and tones of one color ~ this type of harmony may be subtle or striking in its simplicity
Analogous	Colors that are close to each other on the color wheel ~ three to five colors illustrate this and  are considered safe choices
Complementary	Opposite colors on the color wheel ~ can be elegant & pleasing tints, tones, or shades
Tertiary	3 colors form a triangle on the color wheel ~ more dramatic because it uses two contrasting colors to the main color choice
Primaries	Red, yellow, blue
Rainbow	The 12 main colors around the color wheel
Warm	Reds, oranges, yellows appear to advance
Cool	Greens, blues, violets appear to recede
Light and dark	How much black and white are in the color
Neutral	Lacks color. Enhances and works well with other colors, good for backdrops.
Traditional	Two analogous colors (a dominant and a subdominant), and complementary color. Example: White, Beige and blue accents.
Chiaroscurro	Drab, dark, colors of similar tone.

 How to Choose a Color Scheme

  1. Think first about practical aspects of the room such as:

• Function: How is the room used? Warm colors work well for active rooms, cool colors for relaxation areas.

• People: Who will use the room? Consider their color preferences when selecting your color scheme.

• Location: What is the exposure to sunlight? Northern and eastern exposures benefit from warm color schemes; western and southern exposures from cool schemes.

• Size: Do you want to increase or decrease the apparent size? Warm colors advance, making the room seem smaller; cool colors recede, making the room appear larger.

  2. Choose a print you love. This will be your "signature print" that will set the color scheme for the room. Signature prints usually contain several colors and large scale pattern that is suitable for window treatments, bed-coverings, wall-coverings, and upholstery.

  3. Let one color from your signature print dominate. Use this color in as much as 2/3 of the available area.

  4. Pull 2-3 other colors from your signature print to act as support or accent colors. Use them in smaller areas and in accessories.

  5.Carry your color scheme throughout the entire house to create a strong visual continuity. Varying the dominant color and patterns you use in each room --while remaining faithful to your basic color scheme -- will keep your home interesting, yet unified.

Color Dictionary...

Color is generally communicated by hue (what color it is), saturation (how pure / strong it is), and lightness (how much white or black the hue contains.) The following terms may be helpful for color communication.

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Neutral - containing little or no color saturation (white through gray through black)
Warm - yellows, oranges, and reds
Cool - blues, greens, purple/lavender
Pastels - light colors that are saturated, yet contain a lot of white
Contamination - the reference to the color containing its complement which darkens and de-saturates
Chiaroscurro - art term referring to monochromatic, more dark and contaminated colors
Value - lightness or darkness of a color
Tone - grayness of a color
Shade - darkness of a color
Tint - lighter shade of a color
Heavy - dark colors in the cool range which are not very saturated
Deep - saturated and dark
Open - light, non-obtrusive colors
Screened color - any color which is comprised mostly of white

...Courtesy of University of Idaho Lecturer John Campbell...