The color wheel allows you to pick paint colors and decide which shades go together. The color wheel is a diagram that maps out the colors in the rainbow. It can be used to define every decorative color combination. The wheel divides the spectrum into twelve basic hues, including three primary colors and three secondary colors. There are also six tertiary colors. It is helpful to learn the color wheel theory and its many combinations to help you decide which colors to use in your home.
The Color Wheel and How It Works
Each section of a color wheel represents a different color. Three primary colors, three second colors and six tertiary colours are available. Primary colours include red, yellow, and blue. All other colors can’t be made from these colors. he secondary colors for are purple, orange and green. They appear between the primary colors because they are made up of equal parts from two primary shades. Tertiary colorsare produced by mixing a primary colour with the adjacent secondary color on a color wheel.
As the colors are blended (primary and primary, followed by primary and secondary), they become less vibrant.
- Red-orange
- Yellow-orange
- Yellow-green
- Blue-green
- Blue-violet
- Red-violet
Refer to the color chart to identify primary, secondary, or tertiary shades.
How to Use the Color Wheel to Build Color Schemes
Segmentation of the color wheel can help you to create palettes and mix colors with different degrees of contrast. Color schemes can be derived in four ways from the color wheel.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
To create a subtle palette, a tone-on tone monochromatic scheme adds black and white to a single color. Think pale, sky, and navy. A monochromatic palette can be made to stand out by using a range of textures and shades. A color scheme for the bedroom in pink adheres to the pink wedge of the color wheel while including various tints from blushing to rosy. Small accessories can also add a pop of a more vibrant tone. The narrow color scheme can be spiced up with a knitted throw and woven rug.
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Analogous Color Scheme
The analogous palette is a combination of colors on the wheel that can be found in close proximity, like orange, yellow and green . This creates a relaxing, colorful feel. They are a good choice because they have the same base colors. Select one shade to be the dominant color of a room. Select one, three, or two shades as accents. In an analogous scheme, dusty violet sofas could be the dominant colour, with vibrant fuchsia appearing on throw pillows or in flower arrangements. The purple undertones in the pinks and blues are a good match for the color wheel. The room is finished with warm gray color.
Complementary Color Scheme
This is a great way to give a room dynamism by using colors opposite to each other in the color wheel. For example, blue and orange . These complimentary colors balance eachother visually. A warm orange shade can balance out a dark cobalt. Key is to avoid letting one colour dominate. The wall color is blue, but orange can be used to accent it. Orange is used as an accent color. These two colors also appear on other items in the space to give it a cohesive feel.
Triadic Color Scheme
Three colors, evenly spread out on the wheel create a palette that is adventurous. Examples include turquoise, yellow-orange and fuchsia. This combination will create a vibrant palette with balanced colors and vivid contrasts. These vibrant schemes are successful because offers a joyful, energizing environment. You can create contrast by using the three colors at different tints or shades. You can use saturated shades of green and orange in a living space, with a hint or neutral pastel couch.
Warm and Cool Colors
Colour affects emotions. Greens are soothing and yellows are uplifting. It also creates moods. Greens soothe whereas yellows are energetic and uplifting. Bold colors are bold, while soft pinks or a tint of the color red is considered to be sweet and delicate. Blues can be calming, oranges warm and inviting, and purples, which are a very complex color, are seen as spiritual or sexy. Reds, yellows, oranges and other warm colors, are a good example. Cool colors can be found in water, sky and foliage. To achieve a balanced appearance, do not limit your palette only to warm colors. One color can set the mood of the entire room. Include elements that provide contrast.
Color Wheel Terminology
Use this glossary that explains the color wheel chart as a guide to color selections in your home.
Analogues: Colors that are similar to each other, like yellow, yellow-orange and orange.
Chroma: the color’s brightness.
Complementary opposites from the color wheel (for example, yellow and red, purple and green, and blue and orange), which look brighter if used together.
Neutral : commonly used neutral colors are gray, black, and white. These colors create a relaxed atmosphere because they are low in intensity and saturation.
secondary: equal parts of green, purple, or orange.
Shade: a color that has black added to it; can also be used for slight variations of a color
Primary The primary colors are red, yellow and blue. They combine to produce all other colors.
Split complimentary: grouping a color in two shades analogous to that color’s complementary (yellow combined with red-violet/blue-violet for example).
Triad: any three colors equally separated on the wheel of color, with one taking precedence (for example yellow-orange and orange-blue, blue-green and red-violet).
The Tertiary color: is a combination equal parts primary and secondary colors. (Red-oranges, Yellow-oranges, Yellow-Greens, Blue-Greens, Blue-violets, and Red-violets)
Tint is any color that has white added.
Tint: any colour with white added Tone the intensity of a color or its level of brightness or darkness
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