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Color Theory

Color relationships, palettes, and principles for creating harmonious interior color schemes.

32 terms in this category

A

Accent Color

A contrasting color used sparingly to add visual interest and draw attention to specific areas.

Accent Wall Color

A contrasting or deeper color applied to one wall to create a focal point and add depth to a room.

Analogous Colors

Colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel, creating harmonious, natural-looking combinations.

C

Ceiling Color

The often-overlooked paint color for ceilings, which can dramatically affect room perception and atmosphere.

Color Blocking

A design technique using large areas of solid, contrasting colors to create bold visual impact.

Color Flow

The strategic progression of colors throughout a home to create visual continuity and harmonious transitions between spaces.

Color Psychology

The study of how colors affect human behavior, mood, and emotions in interior environments.

Color Temperature

The perceived warmth or coolness of a color, affecting the emotional atmosphere of a space.

Color Wheel

A circular diagram organizing colors by their chromatic relationships, used as a tool for selecting harmonious color combinations.

Complementary Colors

Colors opposite each other on the color wheel, creating high-contrast, vibrant combinations.

Cool Colors

Colors associated with calmness and tranquility, including blues, greens, and purples.

E

Earth Tones

Colors inspired by nature, including browns, tans, greens, and warm neutrals found in soil, stone, and foliage.

G

Greige

A blend of gray and beige that creates a versatile, warm neutral popular in modern interiors.

H

High Contrast

A color scheme featuring dramatic differences in value, creating bold, energetic spaces with strong visual impact.

Hue

The pure color itself, identified by its position on the color wheel, such as red, blue, or yellow.

J

Jewel Tones

Rich, saturated colors inspired by gemstones, including emerald, sapphire, ruby, and amethyst.

L

Low Contrast

A color scheme with minimal differences in value, creating calm, harmonious spaces that feel restful.

M

Monochromatic

A color scheme using variations of a single hue, including different tints, shades, and tones.

Muted Colors

Colors with reduced saturation created by adding gray, offering sophisticated alternatives to bright hues.

N

Neutral Colors

Whites, blacks, grays, beiges, and browns that provide versatile foundations for color schemes.

Neutral Palette

A color scheme based on whites, grays, beiges, and blacks, creating a calm, versatile backdrop.

P

Pastel Palette

A color scheme featuring soft, light tints with low saturation, creating delicate, soothing environments.

S

Saturation

The intensity or purity of a color, ranging from vivid and bright to dull and grayish.

Shade

A darker version of a color created by adding black, deepening the hue while maintaining its character.

Split-Complementary

A color scheme using one base color plus two colors adjacent to its complement, offering contrast with more harmony than pure complementary.

Square Color Scheme

Four colors evenly spaced around the color wheel, forming a square, creating vibrant and balanced combinations.

V

Value

The lightness or darkness of a color, independent of its hue or saturation.

W

Warm Colors

Colors associated with warmth and energy, including reds, oranges, yellows, and warm neutrals.

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