Decorating 101: How to Choose Your Colors

At the beginning of our Decorating 101 series, I recommended collecting photos of rooms that you like. And don’t just limit yourself to room shots. “I tear a lot of photos out of Vogue that are very inspirational to me for color palettes,” says San Francisco designer Allison Caccoma.

Take out those images or call up your Houzz ideabook now and have a good look. Are there certain color palettes that appear over and over? Is there one color that you find yourself liking the most? That should help you choose an overall palette for your decorating project.

Need help with color? Work with an interior designer

Bear in mind that just because you like a color doesn’t mean it’s necessarily ideal for your project. “What mood are you trying to achieve?” asks Woodland Hills, California, interior designer Alana Homesley. Do you want the place to be bright and cheery, or dark and cozy? If it’s the former, brown may not be the right color to emphasize in your interior even if you love it.

Consider your location and the amount of light you have as well. Bright, hot colors work well in warm, sunny climes, where the sun diminishes their intensity. But they may not look as good in grayer northern climes.

Sometimes the best colors can be found right outside your door — in the vegetation and rocks in your landscape.

Nature’s Wisdom: Lessons on Color From the Great Outdoors

While it’s often suggested that you look to your wardrobe for color inspiration, Caccoma disagrees.

Just because you like wearing something doesn’t mean you’d like to live in those colors, she says. Conversely, there might be colors you love to see in homes but wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

How to Find and Use Your Signature Color

Another approach to choosing color is to take the hue from an object you already own — ideally, an investment piece like a work of art or a rug. If you love the item, then you will usually love the same colors reflected elsewhere in the room.

In this dining room, the splashes of red in the canvas are echoed in the dining chairs, making the space feel cohesive. Notice how the rest of the furnishings are neutral, proving that you don’t need to use color everywhere to make a statement.