Color and material is the closest thing to an effective magic trick in the world of interior design. What it accomplishes is the sculpting of the final look, feel, and longevity of a space. The design and planning phases give the home its bones, while the colors and materials provide its skin. This phase combines to create the atmosphere, the illumination, the warmth, and the overall aesthetic.
While novice designers pick colors and textures because they like the way they look in a vacuum, designers pick them because of how they work together. All of these materials are going to come into contact with light and other materials. A color scheme is not the sum of your favorite colors, it’s a cohesive whole.
Knowing how to pick colors and materials and how to use them together helps designers make interiors that seem thoughtful, not trendy; timeless, not temporary; and well-constructed, not chaotic.
Understanding Your Surroundings through Color
Colors also influence our perception of space, lightness, and the mood of a room. A light-colored room tends to look larger and will make better use of available light than a dark-colored room which absorbs light, giving the illusion of being smaller but cosier. A warm-colored room appears more dynamic and cheerful while a cool-colored room appears serene and reserved.
That doesn’t mean that small rooms have to be light or big rooms have to be dark. It means that color can help serve the function of a room. A small reading room might need the coziness of a dark color while a big working space might need the clarity of a light color.
Color directs the eye. Accent colors can call out key elements, architectural details, or areas of different use. Done thoughtfully, color can act as a map to the interior.
Color Schemes For Dummies
What I mean by an overall palette is the foundation (usually the item that takes up the most visual real estate (walls and big furniture pieces), secondary colors (medium visual weight) and accent colors (small visual weight).
A typical practical color palette will consist of:
Dominant color 2. 1-2 Secondary colors 3. 1 Highlight color
Focus on balance rather than proportion. If there are too many colors with equal visual weight, it will be too busy. By keeping your color palette down to a minimum, it balances the aesthetic out and also simplifies the amount of textiles you need to find.
Color continuity between rooms that connect is important as well. There should be at least one color that relates between them, so that the transition from one room to the other doesn’t seem jarring.
Undercurrents and Their Significance
What is an undertone? An undertone is the underlying warm or cool bias of a neutral color (and yes, even neutrals have a color bias). You might have two beige paints, for example, where one has a warm undertone and the other one has a cool undertone. And it’s not just about paint. Wood tones, stones, fabrics and metals all have undertones which influence how they will look together.
Not accounting for undertones is a major reason a color palette will fail. Colors with discordant undertones do not get along, even if the overall color is similar.
When determining undertones, look at samples together, in the same light. It is always easier to distinguish the undertones when colors and materials are viewed in proximity to one another. Make sure the undertones are either similar or, if not, harmonious in a way that is deliberate.
The Psychology of Color Choices
Colors affect our emotions. Though this can be subjective and vary from person to person, and culture to culture, there are some universal effects that most of us agree upon.
Sometimes: Pastels or soft neutral colors can be calming and relaxing Cool colors like blues and greens often help us feel calmer and more balanced Earth tones and natural colors tend to evoke feelings of comfort and stability Brighter colors and highly saturated colors tend to energize and stimulate us and can improve focus
But in general, a good rule of thumb is that the personality of a space should be dictated by its function. Cool, soothing colors are typically well-suited for bedroom spaces. Social spaces, on the other hand, can tolerate a bit more warmth and color contrast. A neutral, monochromatic palette is often a safe choice for offices.
The length of time the color needs to stay attractive should be a third factor for designers. A very bright color may be interesting at first, but in too great a quantity, it can be tiresome.
It is important to remember that material selection is a functional decision, and not an aesthetic one. In the process of evaluating materials, designers must take into account their functional and performance requirements.
Materials are not only an issue of appearance; they are also a matter of function. Every material has attributes of durability, maintenance, and feel that must be considered in the context of the room.
When choosing materials, keep in mind:
Here are some examples: Wear resistance Moisture tolerance Cleaning requirements Touch comfort Aging behavior
For instance, a surface that is too delicate might be perfect for a low traffic room but will not last in an entryway. A porous surface might be gorgeous but not ideal for use behind a sink if it isn’t sealed.
This is the correct order for longevity: performance over looks.
Adding Texture and Visual Interest
I love adding texture because it gives depth to a space and keeps it from looking one-dimensional. If you’re working with a restricted color palette, you can still achieve a layered look by mixing different textures.
Texture can be conveyed with:
- Wood grain
- Fabrics
- Stone
- Matte and gloss
- Textures: rough and smooth
Texture is another way to achieve contrast and create the illusion of depth. A matte wall opposite a shiny floor gives the impression of more depth than if the two surfaces were similarly matte.
A good rule of thumb is to combine at least three different textures in a space to create depth.
Nature Based vs Man Made
There are benefits to both. Natural materials like wood, stone, cotton and wool provide natural variations and a warm, tactile quality. Man-made materials may be more durable, more affordable or lower maintenance.
Natural materials usually provide:
One-of-a-kind texture
Matured personality
Tactile depth
Advantages of synthetic fabrics include:
Consistency
Moisture resistance
Cost savings
You don’t have to stick to one category or the other. In fact, most well-designed spaces incorporate a bit of both, depending on how they are used and where the owners want to allocate their funds.
Light Color and Material Interactions
Lighting can completely alter the way colors and surfaces look. Natural light will show undertones more truly, whereas artificial light can skew the color to feel warmer or cooler based on the type of bulb.
Shiny materials reflect light and make things brighter, but cause glare. Muted materials absorb light and reduce reflection, giving softness.
And always, always, always check out samples in the natural light of your room. What might be just the color in the store might take on a whole new cast under your warm light at night or cool light during the day.
A combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting allows the materials to display their full personalities.
The Case for Harmonious Materials
Harmony: Though not necessarily the same, the finishes are harmonious. This could be due to similar undertones, similar textures or due to a balanced harmony of contrasts.
Some ways of creating balance are:
Repeating a finish in different areas. Using finishes with the same undertone. Combining rough and smooth finishes. Restricting dominant finishes.
Too many different materials can make a space feel disjointed. By using a restricted palate of primary finishes and repeating them in a thoughtful way you can achieve a unified feel.
Striking a Balance Between Trends and Classics
As with colors, materials can be trendy too, but unfortunately, not all trends stand the test of time. Ideally, big-ticket and harder-to-replace items like countertops should be timeless, while trendy items should be smaller and easily replaceable.
Stable picks are ideal for:
Flooring. Furniture. Vanities and other built-ins. Baseboard colors.
Trendy decisions are more suitable for:
Decor items Accent paint Textiles Accessories
The benefit of working in layers is that it enables interior spaces to change over time without a total overhaul.
Running Tests Prior to Final Decisions
In reality, no designer chooses colors and finishes without testing them. It’s best to see samples on site, full size, and in natural light.
Methods for testing include:
Big pieces of paint colors on walls
Boards with samples of materials
Draping fabric samples
Comparing finishes next to one another
Testing decreases risk and can uncover dynamics that smaller sample sizes can’t reveal.