Blue Curtains, Colour Schemes, Interior Design, curtains

Creating A Colour Scheme – Part 4 – Using Complementary Colours

Complementary colours – those that are exactly opposite to one another on the colour wheel. Red with green, blue with orange and yellow with purple are the first that we see in a basic six colour wheel.

Designing interiors by choosing a complimentary colour scheme can create drama, energy and fulfilment. The name ‘complimentary’ tells us that when together, these colours can bring the best out of each other and help to balance a room by taking both a warm and a cool tone from the wheel.

One thing is for sure, when you use this colour scheme – your house will never appear bland or lifeless. You can use complimentary colours in virtually any room in the house if you please, but they work particularly well in areas where you entertain such as dining rooms or games/children’s rooms.

Understanding what a complimentary colour is, is just the first step in using it with your home. How to use it is another thing and there is really no limitation. You can begin with the colour choice of the walls and then bring complimentary colours in with fabrics or decorative items. You might choose to buy items that have complimentary colours in them such as striped cushions or wallpaper.

Complementary colours don’t have to be the brighter selection that you find on a six colour wheel – but you can choose absolutely any colour and it will have an opposite. Some examples could include coral pink with teal or lemon yellow with fuchsia. Lighter tones of any of the primary or secondary colours make good interior matches when placed together with a complementary colour of a similar depth in tone.

If you do choose to play with contemporary colours then you must know how much of each colour to use. For the best results, it is always a good idea to use one colour as a dominant colour and use its complementary colour sparingly. If you were to go for equal amounts, it can be too overwhelming on the eye and produce a room that is too busy or hectic.

Don’t allow for two colours to compete with each other for centre stage. For example, in a room that is painted in terracotta and has otherwise neutral furnishings – why not place some blue curtains or some blue cushions and throws onto the sofa. Alternatively, you could be even more minimal and just have one or two pieces of blue artwork on the walls or a blue fruit bowel on a coffee table.

For the ultimate in decorating with complimentary colours, you should also include some neutrals within the picture which will smooth everything out and keep some harmony. Think about white kitchen units with lemon yellow on the walls and some pink or lilac flowers in the window, or on the curtains.