Picking The Best Home Color Combination: 5 Top Tips

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Choosing the perfect color combinations can feel overwhelming when designing your home’s interior. The colors you select will set the tone for each room and create the atmosphere you want to live in. Whether you’re working with an open floor plan, designing a cozy living room, or selecting paint for a small space, this guide will help you confidently navigate the world of colors. Here are five top tips to find the best home color combination.

an example of a whole house color palette with suggested rooms

Consider Whole House Color Cohesion and Flow

As you move from space to space it is important to factor the flow from the colors in one room to the next. You want them to flow effortlessly. This is an important first step because it will naturally narrow down all the choices. Start with one color you love and then build from there.

Like designing a capsule wardrobe, picking a whole house paint scheme relies on curating a selection of colors that all work together. That way when you move throughout the spaces the entire home will feel cohesive. You’ll also have the added benefit of moving furniture from one space to another and it will all work together!

While the colors all need to flow, it is important to consider that every room in your home serves a unique purpose. Don’t forget that the color combinations you choose should reflect the room’s function and mood. In every home color consultation, I ask homeowners what the room is used for and how they want to feel in each room!

classic color wheel with red at the top

Use The Color Wheel To Make Color Choices

The color wheel is a fundamental tool for anyone designing an interior. It organizes colors into a circular format, showing relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Understanding the color wheel will help you create harmonious paint schemes for your home.

types of color schemes: Monochromatic, complimentary, analogous
  • Complementary Colors: These are opposite on the color wheel, like blue and orange. They create vibrant, high-contrast combinations, ideal for spaces where you want energy and drama.
  • Analogous Colors: These sit next to each other, such as blue, green, and teal. Analogous color schemes offer a soothing, cohesive look perfect for bedrooms or living rooms.
  • Monochromatic Colors: Variations of a single color, such as different tones of blue, create a sophisticated and calming atmosphere.

By leveraging the color wheel, you can experiment with different schemes to find what works best for your home.

Know Which Neutrals To Use

If you’ve read our primer on clean colors and color chroma, you know how important it is to keep low-chroma colors together and that clean, bright and high-chroma colors go best together. If you haven’t touched on this bit of color theory yet, in a nutshell, muted colors go together better. Conversely, it is best to keep bright and clear colors separate.

example of low chroma colors paired with warm neutrals

It is important to keep in mind that clean colors go better with certain neutral paint colors.

high chroma colors with white and gray neutrals

As a rule of thumb, when picking out your home color combination, pair low chroma, muted, earthy tones (aka dirty colors) with warm whites, beige and creams. Use gray tones, like BM Collingwood, and bright whites with clear bright colors. 

Use our tips on picking white paint for trim to keep everything harmonious with your clean or dirty colors.

Pay Attention To Light

Lighting dramatically affects how colors appear in your home. Natural light changes throughout the day, altering the way paint looks in a room. For example, light colors, such as light green, can appear washed out in rooms with a lot of natural daylight, while deeply saturated colors like royal blue can seem dull in artificial light. 

light coming in a West facing window at the end of the day
  • South-Facing Rooms: These spaces get bright, warm light, making cool colors like soft blues and greens a great choice to balance the warmth. Pick main colors with a low to medium amount of hue for a softer look.
  • North-Facing Rooms: These tend to have cooler, dimmer light. Avoid cool undertone colors for these spaces. Warm colors, such as creamy yellows or terracotta, can help make these rooms feel more inviting. While exterior paint colors tend to get brighter when painted on a whole house, interior colors can darken, especially in North rooms. 
  • Artificial Lighting: Consider how your light fixtures affect color. Warm light bulbs will enhance warm colors, while cool LEDs complement cool tones. Color experts recommend looking at the bulbs CRE and to opt for those above 90 for the best color rendering. 

Testing paint samples on your walls and observing them at different times of the day is essential to ensure you choose the perfect color.

Use Neutrals To Bring Whole House Paint Scheme Together

Neutral tones like white, cream and beige are versatile and timeless. They serve as the foundation of many successful interior color schemes. I tell my color consulting clients that if they’re not committed to a particular color, its always safe to use a neutral on the walls and to add colors in pops in the form of furnishings, an accent wall, an area rug and accessories.

a neutral color scheme with a blue accent wall
  • White Walls: White walls provide a blank canvas, allowing you to experiment with bright colors in your furniture and decor. Benjamin Moore’s Navajo White is a popular choice for its subtle warmth and peachy undertones. I love a warm white paint color or cream paired with wood and earth-tone textiles.
  • Earthy Color Palette: Soft taupe and sandy beiges like Tapestry Beige, Ben Moore Muslin or Edgecomb Gray, and muted greens create a grounded, calming effect. Pair these with natural materials like wood and stone for a cohesive look.
  • Layering Neutrals: Use different shades and textures within the neutral family to add depth and interest to a space without overwhelming it.
  • Soften Contrast: While I love rich tones like dark green and dark blue they can create a lot of contrast. I used mid tone neutrals in my master bedroom to soften a high contrast paint color scheme. The light wall colors and dark wallpaper on the accent wall created drama. I was able to soften the contrast by adding a mid tone natural Belgian Linen duvet cover and neutral carpet to help bridge the gap. 

Neutral tones are particularly effective in open floor plans, where they provide a unifying backdrop for varying design elements

Finding Your Best Home Color Combination

Choosing the right color combinations for your home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By considering the flow between rooms, understanding the role of light, and using tools like the color wheel, you can create a harmonious and inviting atmosphere. Start by identifying your desired mood for each space and build your palette around those goals. Remember, every room has its own function and personality, so your color choices should enhance both. Whether you opt for a bold complementary scheme or a soft, monochromatic look, let your vision guide the way.

Neutrals remain a timeless choice for creating balance and cohesion throughout your home. They serve as a versatile foundation, allowing you to layer in color and texture through furniture, accessories, and accent walls. Don’t forget to test your selections in different lighting conditions to see how they truly look in your space. With these strategies, you can confidently transform your home into a space that reflects your style and meets your needs, one thoughtfully chosen color at a time.

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