A home or workspace that is all one colour is boring. You want to create a visually interesting space with different colours. However, you don’t want to produce a jarring eye-sore with a mismatched colour combination. Which is why matching your paint colours is so important.
Matching your paint colours creates a sense of uniformity and seamless transition. This can make a space feel comfortable rather than awkward. So, whether in an office or a living room, you can relax into your activities.
At AJ Nehlig, we have been helping residential homeowners and business owners create a cohesive interior and exterior painting with matching colours for visually appealing styles since 1975. During our 48 years of experience, we have perfected the art of colour matching. In this blog, we are going to share the tips and tricks of how we do it.
Understanding the colour wheel
Our starting point for any colour matching is the colour wheel.
There are different versions of a colour wheel, but each of them has the same purpose; they are a visualisation of the colours.
The differing levels of information in a colour wheel demonstrate the three categories of colours: primary, secondary and tertiary.
Primary Colours
Secondary Colours
Tertiary Colours
Colour complements
One of the easiest ways to ensure you have paint colours that match is to opt for complementary colours.
This is where you use two colours opposite each other on the colour wheel.
For example:
Green and Red
Orange and Blue
Purple and Yellow
While these sound like they might be a bit too different, they actually work very well together because they stimulate various parts of the eye, and they can balance and soothe the overall look.
Don’t forget you don’t have to just use primary colours for this, you could use tertiary colours or hues of the primary colours, offering a range of choices.
How can you use these in your rooms?
Complementary colours might be used differently throughout your space.
A living room at home or a breakout space at work might have walls of one softer tertiary colour, while the fourth wall is used as an accent wall, painted in the opposite tertiary colour on the colour wheel. You will likely choose colours that will create a calming space.
Meanwhile, in a kitchen, you might use slightly brighter complementary colours to create a vibrant and energetic space. This could be through the tiles you use as a backsplash or the combination of tiles and cupboards.
A bedroom is more likely to have similar colours to the living space, with an accent wall or two walls one colour and the other two walls another. Again, tertiary colours can be used here or if you want something a little brighter, a combination of secondary colours could be used.
Shades
A more popular and probably slightly more traditional colour matching scheme is to use shades of one colour.
This would be selecting colours in a line, from the outside of the wheel towards the middle.
Of course, you wouldn’t have to use all the colours. You could pick a more vibrant colour and pair it with a paler one in the middle. Or you could pick two paler shades.
The trick here is to make sure the colours are from the same line and same side of the colour wheel.
How can you use these in your rooms?
Your living room or a relaxation space at work could have a paler colour on the walls with a more vibrant version of the shade for furnishings.
Your kitchen could have a singular colour on the walls with the cupboards another colour, or even the appliances another colour.
Colour clashes
Colour clashing is another way that you can match your paint colours, however, this can be tricky.
As the name suggests, this is when the colours don’t complement each other, nor are they of the same shade.
Clashing colours can make a place look and feel dynamic and edgy. But it can also make it feel unsettling. If you are opting for this method of colour matching, you will need to make sure the clash is balanced – make sure you have equal amounts of each colour so they stand out against each other.
How can you use these in your rooms?
If you want to do this in your living room, you are best to create a single focal point where the colours clash. Maybe a focus wall or corner.
Bathrooms are a great place for this, as they allow you to add a pop of colour to the small space. The easiest way to do this in the bathroom would be to have tiles and walls in shades of colour and accessories such as towels and blinds in clashing colours.
Additionally, a home office or commercial space can be enhanced with this colour-matching technique because it can energise the space with its strategic colour positioning.
Use of Neutrals
Don’t forget about your neutral colours too. These are great for balancing out bold colours, so can be an ideal match for colours too.
Of course, you will need to be careful when picking a neutral colour. Not any old one will match your primary, secondary or tertiary colours.
Depending on the feeling of the room, you will first need to decide if you want a warm neutral (beige, cream, taupe and warm greys) or a cooler neutral (white, cool greys and shades of green and blue).
You can then use similar principles as picking colours; use complementary colouring by selecting a neutral colour sat at opposite sides of the colour wheel, or use different shades of the neutral colours.
It can be easy to use a lot of neutrals throughout a space, as you can think that they will create a calm space. But you should add colours throughout, otherwise a space can look washed out and, if we are completely frank, a bit boring.
How can you use these in your rooms?
In your living room or kitchen, you could use neutrals as the main colour and combine it with a coloured wall to add a bit of interest or add the colour through furnishings and plants.
A bedroom is more likely to be completely neutral as it produces a serene and calm space to relax and sleep in.
Let us help
Colour matching is a big part of your interior painting project, as it can impact the feel and atmosphere of your room.
With so many options, knowing what will look good in your space can be difficult. So, why not rely on our expert for help?
Having been in the decorating industry for over 45 years, the team at AJ Nehlig know what colours will look great together and which colour combinations you should steer clear of.
We will visit your property for a free consultation following your enquiry, where we will discuss your vision for the space and colour-matching options. We can explain in further detail the different methods of colour matching and their advantages for each space so you can make an informed choice.
We will also be able to provide samples of the colours so you can see how each pair would work together and in your space.
Contact us today for help and guidance on matching your paint colours by calling us on 01202 980 484 or completing our online contact form.
