How to use the colour wheel: an easy guide to creating a balanced scheme Picking a colour scheme can be daunting. How do you know what will look good in your room and what are the best colour combinations? Understanding how to use the colour wheel is a great place to start. It’s a failsafe way of choosing colours that sit well together, so your home turns out just as beautifully as you’d pictured. By learning how to use the colour wheel, you will start to understand – and speak – the language of colour. This makes it much easier to describe what it is you’re really looking for. If you go into a DIY shop asking for blue paint, there’s a good chance you’ll come out feeling overwhelmed with choice (and swatches). But if you know beforehand that it’s a dark, saturated blue paint you’re after, the whole process will be a lot quicker, simpler, and more enjoyable, too. Image credit: Cox & Cox While some of the colour palettes are tried and tested, others may well surprise you. Familiar with the phrase red and green should never be seen? Think again. We’ve put together an easy guide to get you up to speed, and boost your colour confidence in the process. What is the colour wheel? We’ve established the colour wheel is important, but what exactly is it? We like to think of it as a map for colour. It’s basically a visual representation of where colours sit on the spectrum and the relationship between them all. The wheel that’s used by today’s interior designers actually derives from Sir Isaac Newton’s first circular illustration for colour in 1666. It’s made up of 12 hues, half of which are warm colours (reds, oranges and yellows) and the other half cool colours (lilacs, blues and greens). These 12 hues are made up of primary colours (red, blue and yellow), secondary colours (made by mixing two primaries together – green, orange and purple) and six tertiary colours (made by mixing a primary with a secondary; red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-purple and red-purple). How does the colour wheel work? When deciding how to decorate a room, you first need to have a colour in mind. That part is easy, but if you’re stuck look around for inspiration for colour ideas such as living room colour schemes and bedroom colour schemes. Next, in order to make that colour work to your taste and style, you’ll need to decide on a scheme. Not so easy. This is where the how to use the colour wheel comes in. By looking at the location of your chosen colour on the wheel, you can work out how it relates to others by where they sit on the wheel, too. With just one quick glance, you can clearly see the colours that work well together and, perhaps more importantly, those that absolutely don’t. Colours are categorised into groups: harmonious, contrasting and tonal, and there’s more on that below. While the colour wheel is without doubt a handy tool, designers like to make the point that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colour and interiors. ‘While it’s often a good starting point, the colour wheel should be treated as a concept, not a rulebook,’ says interior designer Ann Marie Cousins of AMC Designs. ‘It’s good to be individual. You have to follow your instincts to create a home you love.’ What are harmonious colours? Image credit: Future PLC Harmonious colours (also known as analogous colours) sit next to each other on the colour wheel. They are the most widely used in interior design, and it’s easy to see why. The name ‘harmonious’ says it all. Choosing adjacent colours is a simple way of creating a harmonious scheme that’s easy to live with. The contrasts between colours next to each other on the wheel are very subtle – red, red-orange and orange, for example. For this reason, a little extra thought is necessary to avoid creating a room that lacks vitality. A typical harmonious scheme is made up of three colours: one dominant colour and two accents. ‘One dominant colour from the palette is used across the largest areas, walls, ceiling, large rugs, for example,’ says says Michael Rolland, interiors expert and MD of The Paint Shed. ‘A secondary colour is then used across upholstery, window dressings and bedlinen. This leaves the accent colour, used sparingly to create a pop, usually through accessories such as frames and throw pillows.’ This clever design tactic is also referred to as the 60-30-10 rule. The numbers refer to the percentages used for each colour. Allow 60% of coverage for your dominant colour, 30% secondary and 10% for your accent. This makes it even easier to ensure a beautifully balanced scheme overall. What are contrasting colours? Image credit: Future PLC Contrasting colours are those that sit directly opposite each other on the colour wheel. They are also sometimes referred to as complementary colours. If it’s drama you’re after, a contrasting colour scheme is the one for you. Examples include red and green, yellow and purple and blue and orange. ‘Using contrasting colours makes for an eye-catching room with maximum impact’, says interior designer Ann Marie. ‘A great starting point is colour blocking. Try painting your walls in two different colours or opt for one colour on your wall and another for furniture.’ Be creative with living room paint ideas to add personality and character to your space. Image credit: Future PLC/ It’s worth bearing in mind that while the colour wheel is a useful tool for identifying contrasting colours, we still need to be a little mindful of how we go about using them within our homes. ‘A complementary palette makes colours appear brighter, making it a great option if you’re after a vibrant and bold interior. However, if you’re after a more understated take on the scheme, it’s a good idea to offset contrasting colours with neutral…

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