What is a Paint Colour Chart ?
A paint colour chart is your guide to developing an amazing interior or exterior to your home. Basically, it is a white card that contains a preview of each colour that is going to be used in a space. By looking at the card, you can how the colours work together and you can spot any potential clashes before you commit to furniture, paint, carpet, etc. AsNu's professional colour consultants use these charts when designing the colours for your house, and paint companies such as Taubmans, Dulux and Wattyl also provide them. You'll find charts that present various shades of one color as well as combination charts that will give you ideas on how to create combinations. They can very helpful in presenting fresh combinations that you may not think of on your own.
How to Use Color Charts
Before making a decision on a paint color for your home, take home a sample chart for each colour you are considering. Tape the samples on your wall and see how each sample works with your lighting and surroundings and also compare how each one looks with your furniture, flooring and other colours in the room. Check at different times of the day because a colour looks different in morning light than it does in the afternoon or under artificial light after dark. A small colour panel may not be large enough to help you make a decision, and often you can purchase sample paints in the colour you are considering and can paint a patch on your wall or on poster board for a more realistic assessment of it. Be aware however that even the surrounding colours can affect the effect you see.
Now that you've chosen a colour, add it to your colour chart. You will also add your remaining main and accent colours to the chart and this will help you visualise how the colors in the room will look together. Choose from one to three main colours and two or three accent colours for a room. The main colours will be used on the walls, floor, ceiling and major pieces of furniture, while the accents will be used in pillows, fabrics, lamps, wall art and accessories. Accents are generally deeper or brighter than the main colours.
How to Create Balance with Color
The colours you choose should be distributed evenly throughout the space; for instance, burgundy on one side should be balanced with something in burgundy on the other side of the room. By letting colour echo throughout a room in regular intervals, you create rhythm that lets the eye move smoothly throughout the space; you also create colour continuity that makes for a well-designed look.
You can also use a mathematical formula for colour distribution in a room. A proportion of 60-30-10 ensures that no one colour will dominate and that there will be a limited number of colours used. To apply the formula, choose one main colour for 60% of the room, such as the walls and ceiling. Another main or accent colour will occupy 30% of the room, perhaps the flooring and a couch, and the accent colour shows up in 10% of the space.
The placement of light and dark colors in a room also has an impact on the overall look. Use the darkest colour on your chart for the flooring, the middle colour for the walls and main furniture and the lightest colour up on the ceiling. This keeps the space feeling both grounded and spacious.
Pick a Colour Scheme
Here is a selection of colour charts and colour schemes from Australian paint suppliers:
Alternatively, you can buy a colour wheel from companies such as Eckersleys.
Free Professional Colour Consulting
Take a look around, get some ideas, and then when you are ready give us a call. We offer free Professional Colour Consulting with every paint project. Click here to Get a Free Quote.