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Living Room Color Scheme

By: Todd Marsha

Have you ever wanted to change the color of your living room and just did not know where to start?

Maybe you’re the type who is not very good with re-decorating and knowing which color schemes go together. This is where the color wheel comes in handy. And hey, if you’re having doubts, you can always ask a designer or someone who has some decorating experience.

In the following paragraphs we will be talking about the color wheel and helping you understand how to use it. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the color wheel, it shows the relationship between various colors. They range from primary, to secondary and tertiary.

The primary colors are red, blue and yellow. Secondary colors result from mixing the primary colors, which produces purple, orange and green. The tertiary colors are produced by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. For example the various shades that are produced by mixing red and orange, yellow and green or blue and purple. When you mix any of these colors with a pure color like black or white, it will then create different tints, all in varying degrees depending on the quantity of each color in the mix.

The color wheel has different terms that you should familiarize yourself with like hue-which is another name for color. Tint is a color plus white. Tone is also a color plus grey. Shade would be a color plus black. Value is the darkness of a color or the lightness of it depending on the desired effect.

Always remember that you should have a dominant color in each mix of colors. This is very important as this creates a stepping stone, so to speak, for you to branch out to the other colors that will be in the rest of your color scheme. When you have consulted your color wheel and have decided on what color scheme you will go with, head to your local home improvement store and check out paint. Grab some sample chips and carry them with you. You’ll have a much easier time when furniture and accent shopping since you can refer to your color chips and see if a piece is good fit in your color scheme.

Remember this bit of advice when you are getting your color scheme together - you can and will be inspired by nature. Look outside your window for inspiration. Think about combinations of various earth tones and greens. Secondly, remember what a color scheme is all about. You’re trying to find two or three colors that complement each other.

There are 4 types of color schemes that you can choose from and they will be explained as follows:

1. Complementary: Two different colors or hues that are opposites for example green and red or yellow and violet. Make sure to choose different shades, tones, and tints and this will give the finished product a more bold and dramatic look.
2. Mono-Chromatic: Using just one color or hue that will be used as the main backdrop and combining it will the same color in various shades, tints and tones. When you use this color scheme, using multiple textures will maintain unity and create character.
3. Triadic: This scheme uses three colors instead of just two or one. When you use these three colors, you should make sure that they are an equal distance apart on the color wheel, for example: blue, yellow and red, or you could use the secondary colors like red-orange, violet-blue, or green-yellow.
4. Analogous: This one also uses three colors (or hues) but makes sure that the colors are neighbors on the color wheel. You can use a warm or cool color scheme; the colors should be adjacent on the color wheel.

Now it’s time for you to think about colors you’d like to use in your color scheme and head off to your favorite paint store to get started!

Article Source: http://www.articleresourceindex.com

Todd Marsha is a regular guy who enjoys coming up with great ideas for living rooms. He and his wife Jennifer own the popular home decor website, Stylish Living Room Ideas

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