How to Mix and Match Colors for Your Home Design

Whether you’re decorating your home after a move, you’re in need of a change or you simply want to make a bit of a change, mixing and matching colors can be a big part of interior design. You can stay conservative by building on a neutral base or embrace some crazy color in a tasteful way.

While you can stick to neutrals or completely throw caution to the wind, there are so many techniques you can use to mix and match colors perfectly for your home design. It all depends on your personal style and what you want to see when you walk into your home — you can go vintage, minimal, boho or monochrome. Here are a few ways that you can get started.

1. Use a Color Scheme

Laying out a color scheme is one of the best ways to stylishly mix and match colors in any style of home. There are so many different ways you can develop your color scheme, and it completely depends on what colors and combinations you specifically like.

The most important part of a color scheme is that you move within that framework to explore color while still allowing everything to go together.

2. Go Monochrome

Monochrome might not seem like exploring color at all — but in a way, it really is. Monochrome essentially means sticking to one color throughout a whole space. However, you can explore so many tones within a color to create depth and dimension with your monochrome look.

Go for light and dark tones of the same color, or even add one accent piece that acts as a pop from the rest of the room. There’s no limit on your creativity.

3. Have a Neutral Base

If you plan on mixing and matching a variety of colors within one space, keeping a neutral color as a base within the room can make the space feel a bit more grounded and sophisticated. Using a rich classic black or a calm white can actually bring your space to a whole new level, as adding on top of that can feel natural and add more dimension to the space. Accent colors won’t feel too overpowering but still add character when used in this context.

4. Embrace Color Theory

There’s a lot of talk about color theory, but how can you use it most effectively to create a balance and mix colors stylishly in any room? Color theory is the practice of understanding relationships between colors using the color wheel.

Color theory covers how to mix colors, different color relationships and how they work together and how to find colors that complement one another. You can even use color theory to figure out how to build a color scheme based on how many colors you want to explore.

5. Include Accents

Accent colors are another way you can mix and match colors stylishly. Whether you have a neutral room, a monochromatic room or an existing color scheme, including a few accented elements can add a pop to your space.

Try throw pillows and picture frames that pop out in fun colors. In the kitchen, updating the cabinetry can be a great way to explore more unconventional but trendy colors like navy blue or cherry red. You can also opt for an accent wall to bring in more color with paint.

Mixing and Matching Colors

There are so many different ways to explore color when you’re designing your home, and really, it all depends on your personal style. From neutral colors to going monochrome — or mixing it up with accents and color theory — there are so many ways to elegantly mix and match your favorite colors in your home.

All you need to do is figure out which colors are your favorites. Which colors do you love to bring into home design?

About The Author: Evelyn Long is the editor-in-chief of Renovated, a magazine for home improvement and décor advice. More of her work can be found on Twitter.