Home style: Decorating with the complimentary colour wheel

We discussed the different colour schemes on the colour wheel. Today, we draw the lenses in on ways to decorate using the various colour schemes with retrospect to the complimentary colour scheme. The complimentary scheme is the simplest to use as it involves only two colours that are opposite to each other on the colour wheel. Sample complimentary colours are red-green, yellow-purple and blue-orange. Here is how to use each colour scheme.

Red-Green

Red and green are fresh and vibrant colours that occur harmoniously in forests, gardens or fruit baskets. However, these two can overwhelm a space when used incorrectly. Choose palettes with a variation of each colour from the spectrum. Avoid splashing too much of either colour on the wall. Remember for each room, whenever an intense colour goes on the wall you cannot use it in the same intensity again. Blend your red-green scheme with neutrals of similar undertones. 

Yellow-Purple

Yellow and purple are a whimsical pair that spell playful and royal at the same time. They also occur naturally in gardens with green as a backdrop. The perfect background colour is a neutral like soft to medium grey. As with the colour rule, do not let the colours overpower your space. Use mild yellows to tone down the ubiquity of purple and throw in dollops of lavender in a mellow yellow room.

Blue-Orange

Blue and orange are a match made in heaven. Whether you are thinking of turquoise and tangerine, navy blue and coral, sky blue and cinnamon- the possibilities are endless. Perfect backdrops for this duo are beige, greige, tan and white.

Pick a colour palette that works with your personality, vary the intensities, throw in a backdrop and watch your space blossom in colour.