By Paint and Sip LIVE

05/03/2021 If you’re new to interior paint, then it can be intimidating to know which rules to follow. Interior designers mention countless rules when selecting interior paint. Some of the rules seem contradictory.


So which rules are most important when choosing an interior paint color? Which rules should you follow? Keep reading to find out the best things you need to know when choosing interior paint colors.


Gray Complements Everything: Gray has been one of the hottest colors in interior design in recent years. Why? Gray complements light and dark colors. Gray has a chameleon-like effect. It complements warm colors to make a room look warmer. It also complements cooler colors to make a room look cooler. Gray even works with pastel tones and brighter colors, softening the edge of these colors and making them look less jarring. If you’re confused about which colors to use, consider using gray.


Use the 60-30-10 Rule: The 60-30-10 rule explains which colors to use in which parts of the room. It’s more of an advanced interior design thing than a basic rule, but it could help take your room to the next level. This rule states that 60% of the room (like your walls) should have your dominant color, 30% of the room (like big furniture, rugs, and upholstery) should have your secondary color, and 10% of the room (like small furniture and accessories) should have the accent color.


Use Undertones to Find your Perfect Paint: Does a paint color look almost perfect to you – but just a little off? Use undertones to find the perfect paint color. Undertones are colors beneath your favorite paint color. They give paint a unique appearance, creating subtle hues within your paint.


Use Dark Colors for Floors, Medium Colors for Walls, and Light Colors for Ceilings: Effective interior spaces replicate the natural world. The natural world has light colors overhead (the sky), medium colors in front of us (trees, buildings, and other items), and dark colors beneath our feet (the ground). When planning colors for a room, you should take a similar approach. Paint floors a darker color, then use a medium color for walls and a light color for the ceiling.


Build Off the Biggest Pattern in the Space: Maybe your couch has a unique design. Maybe you have a large painting in a room with distinctive colors. By building off the biggest pattern in the space, you can create an effective color within your home.



These are just a few of the basic color rules for interior design. You can also find plenty of rules that flip these rules on their head. Don’t be confined by rules: it’s your home, and you should paint it however you like.