If you are building or renovating, colour selection is one of the most exciting phases. It’s where you get the opportunity to infuse your personality into the space and make your home unique to you. Whether you’re choosing tiles for a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry there’s and endless array of sizes, styles, shapes, textures, and tones available, so it’s only natural to be a little overwhelmed. If you are finding it difficult to come up with the perfect colour palette, here’s a few tips that might help you determine what’s best for your space.
Think About the Type of Palette
A colour wheel will help you when using this technique. There are a number of predefined colour scheme standards that can make creating a new palette easier, especially for those who don’t know where to start.
Monochromatic – A monochromatic palette is one of the simplest schemes to create, as it is made up of different shades and depths of a single colour. Taking a single hue, such as blue, you can utilise a variety of shades of blue instead of multiple colours to create depth and visual interest. Using a monochromatic palette an easier way to ensure a smooth transition between different tiles and is often considered a classic, clean, and fresh look. Whilst this technique makes it easy to create a palette, if not done correctly it can look a little dull and boring. Adding in a strong neutral like white or black can help keep things interesting.
Analogous – Analogue colour schemes are created by pairing one colour with two other colours from either side of it on the colour wheel. For example, blue, and violet are neighbours on the colour wheel, when you mix these two colours, you create a new colour, blue-violet, that has attributes of both – these three hues are analogous. When done correctly, this type of palette can express uniformity, consistency, and result in a harmonious aesthetic that is smooth a visually pleasing. When choosing an analogous colour scheme, pick a set of colours that have enough of a tonal contrast that you can easily identify each one. Also choose one colour that is more dominant than the others, so they aren’t trying to compete with each other for attention.
Complementary – This will result in a more dramatic palette and may not be to everyone’s taste. A bold design choice, this may be ideal for those who want to be different and try new things with their colour palette. It involves selecting two opposing colours from the colour wheel, for example, red and blue. In their most basic form, these schemes consist of only two colours, but can easily be expanded using different tones, and shades. When done correctly, a complementary palette creates drama and vibrancy. However, using colours that are exact opposites can have a tendency to look visually jarring. This can be avoided by adding in neutral hue or another, transitional colour between them for a more seamless look.
Consider Colour Value
As you choose colours, it’s important to consider their value. This refers to the lightness or darkness of a hue. A mix of values within your colour palette will help to avoid the scheme from looking chaotic. An easy way to think about this is to select one dark colour, one light colour, and one bright colour in your space. The colour that acts as the room’s dominant hue depends on your preference.
Use the 60-30-10 Rule
This is a classic décor rule that can apply to your whole home, not just your tile choices. It states that 60% of the room should be a dominant colour, 30% should be the secondary colour or texture and the last 10% should be an accent. This rule helps to keep things visually compelling and balanced, so that the colours work together, not against each other.
60% is the overall colour of the room, whether you choose a soft grey or a crisp white, it’s the dominant or background colour of the space. If you think about a bathroom, this colour might be three of the four walls.
30% is the secondary colour or shade, and while it supports the main colour, it should be different enough to give the room interest. This might be a darker charcoal grey on the floor and on the walls of the shower.
10% is your accent colour. Whether you choose to bold or subtle, this 10% is what gives the room character or keeps it that much more neutral, it’s really up to the look you want to achieve. A bath or shower niche is a great area to add an accent tile.
Play with Texture
You can apply the above rule to texture or shape instead of colour if you prefer a neutral colour palette. Here you might like to select large rectangular solid tiles for 60%, the same tile in a textured finish for 30%, and a small feature tile in a similar tone as your 10%. A neutral colour palette can be just as exciting as brighter, bolder hues, and is often a great choice for bathrooms. It can create a sense of calm, and make the space feel much brighter and more spacious. When sourcing tiles for a neutral palette, texture and pattern will add interesting contrast in a subtle way.
Trust Your Instincts
Interior colour choices are highly subjective, there’s no right or wrong way to select a colour palette for your space. There’s no rules that say you must follow the latest trends, design theories or the colour wheel to create a successful colour combination. Think about the colours you love and determine a colour palette that feels right to you and reflects your personal taste and style.
Need More Assistance? Contact Ceramico Today
As Perth’s leading tile and bathroom centre, we are here to help you to find tiles and bathroom accessories to suit your style. With over 50 years of experience, you can expect the highest quality products at affordable prices, with ranges to suit every budget. To discuss your building or renovation project with our friendly team, visit our showroom today, contact us online, or call us on 08 9556 4444.
