Design Notes
The world of design draws on multiple elements to create the perfect space for homeowners, a place that represents them and their particular style. Color plays a vital role in the design process, and its effects go beyond just adding a splash to the room. Color can affect our mood, communicate a message, lessen eye strain, and even play a part in remembering certain events. It also has the ability to influence the size of a room with certain colors, causing the area to feel larger, while other shades create a more intimate feel. Color selection can be a fun and rewarding process, plus it provides you with a great way to tell your story. More homeowners are discovering the beauty of contrasting colors, and this choice is gaining popularity in the design world. From two-toned kitchens to opposites in cabinets and tile, contrasting colors can spice up your design and make a stunning statement. Let’s explore more about what contrasting colors are and how they can help you tell your story.
What Are Contrasting Colors?
A color wheel showcases the standard twelve shades that make up the basic options. Contrasting colors, also known as complementary colors, are ones that are opposite from each other, such as:
- red and green (think Christmas)
- blue and orange(used by many companies)
- yellow and purple
- Black and white
These colors provide the most contrast and are used for a variety of purposes, like drawing attention to something or emphasizing importance. There are also differing levels of contrast. Blue and orange are considered a strong contrast, while red and orange have a lower contrast. Some low contrast pairings include:
- Purple and blue
- Yellow and green
- Orange and red
- Green and blue
Depending on the purpose of your space, you may want to consider choosing a softer contrast that allows you to still add a pop to the room without it feeling overwhelming or overwhelming. The value of a color can also provide a nice contrast, such as a deep blue against a soft blue. There are multiple ways to create contrast in the world of color. It mostly depends on what your goal for the space is and the statement or mood you want to create. Talking with a designer and browsing through inspiration galleries can help you define your design goals for your home.
How To Design Using Contrasting Colors?
Color is one of the best and most fun ways to bring any design to life and place a part of you inside. As we mentioned, there are a lot of ways you can use contrasting colors in design.
- Complete opposites on the color wheel
- Monochromatic opposites
- Warm and cool colors
Each of these allows you to create a balanced contrast and forge a unified design that can be enjoyed by everyone. Complete opposites are great for making statements, like using black and white in a bathroom. You can use a black bathtub or vanity as a focal point against white flooring or even black hardware on white cabinets in the kitchen. Monochromatic opposites are perfect for a unified look with a hint of fun mixed in, such as a gentle blue wall color with deep shades of blue featured on artwork hanging from it. This draws the eye in naturally while creating harmony at the same time. Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow forge a bold contrast when mixed with cool colors like blue, purple, and green. Both warm and cool can also be joined by neutrals like black, white, and gray to make a statement. Some ways to create contrast in your design include:
- Accent walls
- Furniture
- Cabinets
- Decor pieces
- Tile
- Hardware
- Window treatments
- Area rugs
When it comes to contrasting colors, think outside the box and take the time to look through magazines, Pinterest, home design blogs, and places like Houzz to get the inspiration for your new space. The fun about color is that it can be switched up, especially in areas such as the living room and bedrooms.
The Benefits Of Using Contrasting Colors
There are lots of benefits when designing with contrasting colors, and designers enjoy using them in multiple areas in the home, like the kitchen, bathroom, home office, and family rooms.
Here are the pros of using contrasting colors:
- It establishes hierarchy in design and helps organize your space by highlighting what is important and creating a focal point in the room, such as a kitchen island that is painted a bold color and surrounded by a softer color palette, such as white or gray. If a layout is monochromatic, it can be seen as somewhat dull. Using a few contrasting colors can add a spark to your space.
- When you have a large space, things can get lost or feel swallowed up in the vast area. Contrasting colors can help create a sense of balance, such as a dark wall at one end. It tells the eye that this is a smaller space than what it really is, and the same principle can be used to enlarge a space. By using a lighter color, an area can be made to feel bigger and brighter.
- Color is linked with your mood, and contrasting colors can improve it, like when adding pops of yellow to a space that is lacking in natural light. Darker colors can create a warmer, cozier vibe, like a bedroom that makes you feel safe and easier to relax, such as blues and purples.
While contrasting colors have their uses and benefits, there are a few things that should be avoided when using them, such as:
- It is vital that a balance be applied when using contrasting colors. If you use too many, it can create confusion and cause disharmony in the space, as well as stress for you. Concentrate on a few areas like an accent wall, a kitchen island, some fun artwork, tile flooring or backsplash, bathroom vanity, or furnishings like a couch. These are great ways to accomplish a contrast in a balanced way.
- Avoid using dull colors, such as browns and dull yellows. They often are linked with unpleasant things and should never be the main focus. However, brown shades found in nature, like wood tones, are excluded from this as they usually come in a rich and vibrant tone that evokes a calming nature vibe.
Don’t be afraid to ask your designer questions and ask for opinions. In the end, the choice is up to you, but there are benefits to looking at all your options.
It is always fun to watch those home improvement shows. It is always a delight to watch designers come up with a plan that completely transforms the space from drab to fab. Often, after watching those shows, you have a tendency to look around your own home, wishing you could give it an update, but a renovation is not conceivable at the moment for one reason or another. The good news is that you don’t have to undergo a renovation to give your home a lift or freshen it up; sometimes it’s the little things —the details —that can completely revamp your space and make a big impact without breaking the bank. Discover six simple ways you can freshen up your home and even make it feel completely new without going through a renovation.
Here are some steps you can take to ensure your kitchen is healthy and ready for creating dishes that are not only delicious but also beneficial for your family’s health. We know that it is not always easy to stick with the decision to be healthier, but with a well-designed kitchen, it can be. With over twenty years of experience, our design team is well-versed in planning a kitchen design that functions well for your specific needs while also reflecting the style you will love. We serve more than 15 counties and invite you to visit our 5,000-square-foot showroom, where you can walk through multiple kitchen displays to get a feel for the possibilities that await you. Connect with us and let’s start planning a healthy kitchen design.
Walker Woodworking Organization is a key part of a successful life. You make a plan, you know what you need, and how you will accomplish your goals. This strategy requires you to lay everything out so you can be prepared, which is why people love apps that help them stay on track or write it down in an old-fashioned paper planner. An organization can also infiltrate multiple areas of life, such as time management and home layout, meaning it has made its presence known in the design world. More and more designers are seeking ways to integrate organization into their designs, to the extent that a new term has been coined to describe this approach: organizeology. Let’s unpack what organizeology means!
If you are looking to hit the refresh button on your home, color is always a great way to start. From simple accent pieces, such as pillows and rugs, to repainting an entire room, choosing a new color can inspire you and help you regain your focus. The color of the year for 2022 are a wonderful place to start and can guide you down the right path for your home. Come visit our showroom in Uptown Shelby, NC, where you can walk through our 5,000-square-foot space and experience the possibilities for your home.
Walker Woodworking Lighting is a crucial aspect of interior design; it significantly influences the mood in the home and alleviates eye strain when there is minimal natural light or when it gets dark. More often than not, a home suffers from insufficient lighting instead of overillumination. For seniors, lighting is even more critical, as the muscles in the eye weaken over time and the pupil size decreases, making it harder for light to enter. Better lighting reduces the chance of bumping or falling over an obstacle and lessens the strain on the eyes as you look around. Good lighting also helps create a comfortable and relaxing environment, exactly what you want for your well-deserved retirement. Let’s talk about how you can have the best lighting, what the benefits are, and which lighting choices are best for certain areas in the home.
Greenbrook Design 
Walker Woodworking