Choose complementary colors for a cohesive design.
A coordinated color scheme can can improve the look of your home. Repeated building materials throughout the home, including flooring and cabinetry, is a good place to start. Even if these selections have already been made in your home, you can still define spaces and create a pleasing palette with carefully chosen paint colors and appropriate furniture and accessories.
Instructions
1. Select your flooring as the starting point for your color scheme. Stick to three or fewer types of flooring, such as hardwood, tile and carpet. If possible, use the same hardwood floor in multiple rooms. If your flooring is already in place and you don't plan to change it, take note of its colors. The colors of your floors will help you select paint colors and other materials. For example, if you have a dark floor, you need a lighter tone on the walls so that you don't make the space seem small.
2. Coordinate your cabinetry with your hardwood flooring. The cabinets should not be the exact same color as the floors, but their colors should complement each other. Avoid using cabinetry with a drastically different wood grain than the floors. Built-in storage units can be a shade lighter or darker than the floors. White built-ins contrast well with wood flooring.
3. Repeat the same building materials throughout the house to create a cohesive design. If the kitchen has granite countertops, the granite can also be used on the bathroom vanity or as a tile surround on a fireplace. Kitchen and bathroom backsplashes in the same color and design help connect the color scheme in different areas of the house.
4. Pick paint colors that complement the floors. One option is to choose a paint color that is present as an undertone in the floor. Don't fall into the trap of painting all rooms the same color; this can end up looking drab and is not necessary for a cohesive design. The paint colors in the house can vary from room to room but should be in the same color family. Paint card swatches can help you identify colors in the same color family. Select colors that are in the same position on the swatches to get colors that will coordinate well.
5. Select wood furnishings that are different colors than the wood flooring so that the colors don't blend into each other. Similarly, the upholstery on furniture should contrast with the floors.
6. Add accessories and artwork to enhance your color scheme. Art pieces should pick up colors from the room. Place similar artwork in coordinating rooms. Add accessories of the same color in various rooms. A pillow in the living room, a throw in the den and towels in the bathroom that are all the same color help connect the color throughout the home.
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