Colour has a major influence on how we experience a room. It can create calm, add striking accents or make a space feel warmer. What matters most is how you combine different shades.
High-contrast, harmonious or tone on tone – we show you how to use colour deliberately and create a cohesive home with the right furniture, lighting and home accessories.
The colour wheel – which colours go together?
The colour wheel is a simple guide to successful colour combinations. Colours opposite each other create strong contrasts, while neighbouring shades look more harmonious.
Broadly speaking, you can choose between contrasting colours, harmonious colour combinations and tone-on-tone schemes.
Contrasting colours – lively and expressive
Contrasting colours create tension and work particularly well for highlighting individual areas. A classic example is yellow and blue: blue has a calming effect, while yellow brings warmth and energy into the room.
A few cushions, vases, lamps or home accessories are enough to add accents like these. If you prefer something bolder, add coloured chairs, armchairs or side tables.
Harmonious colours – calm and balanced
Colours that sit close together on the colour wheel create a calm overall look. Combinations such as blue and turquoise or green and yellow add variety without strong contrasts.
Neutral shades such as white, beige or grey make a good base and let coloured furniture and accessories stand out beautifully.
Tone on tone – one colour, many nuances
A tone-on-tone scheme combines different shades from the same colour family. Light and dark greens, blues or beiges come together in a harmonious overall look.
Different materials add variety. Sofas, rugs, cushions, vases and lamps can pick up a shade in different ways and give the room extra depth.
Combining colours and materials
Materials also influence how a colour comes across. Wood, wool and linen give strong colours more warmth and a natural feel, while glass and metal add modern accents.
Combining different colours, materials and surfaces creates a varied interior that still feels harmonious.
The right mix makes the difference
Strong contrasts, harmonious shades or tone on tone – just a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture, lamps and accessories can change the way a room feels.
