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Complementary colors can complement room
It is said that opposites can bring out the best in
each other. This is definitely the case with complementary
colors. Complementary colors are those colors opposite
each other on the color wheel. Purple and yellow, red
and green, and blue and orange are examples of direct
complements. Complements can also be approximately
opposite each other on the color wheel. Sage green
and violet, and blue and gold are examples. Complementary
color schemes are harmonious and lively. Because both
warm and cool colors are represented, they bring a
lot of interest to your decor.
Complementary colors abound in nature. Today when
the sun sets, notice the stunning combination of sky
blue and fiery orange. Think of watermelon, with bright
green on the outside and juicy red on the inside. My
favorite flower, the iris, is deep purple with a streak
of yellow.
Lest you think I am suggesting that the purple and
yellow of an iris would look great in your living room,
remember that you need not use the brightest of the
hues in your color scheme. When selecting complementary
colors, choose those with similar intensities. For
example, the combination of lavender and light yellow
is charming in a baby's room. And eggplant purple paired
with rich gold makes for a luxurious master bedroom.
In a complementary scheme, one of the two colors should
play a major role, with the opposite color used as
accent. Equal amounts of color can fight for attention,
while unequal amounts are usually more aesthetically
pleasing. For example, deep red walls in a dining room
can be tempered with dark green draperies and upholstered
dining chairs. In a kitchen, sunny yellow walls can
be accented beautifully with window valances in blue
and gold patterned fabric. In my own master bath, I
have combined terracotta (a shade of orange) on the
floor and walls with accents of cobalt blue.
Kids and teens tend to like brighter colors and might
love a complementary scheme for their bedrooms. Perhaps
your son, an avid sports fan, would like to mimic the
purple and gold of the Baltimore Ravens or the blue
and orange of the Golden State Warriors. And your daughter,
enamored of the tropical theme, would like shades of
magenta, coral and turquoise reminding her of your
Hawaiian vacation.
Where you place the warm and cool opposite colors
in a room can have a tremendous effect on the feeling
created in that room. For example, consider a bedroom
with a sea foam green and light pink color scheme.
Imagine the walls painted green (a cool color), with
the bedding in a lovely pink floral pattern. With green
walls, the room exudes a calm and serene feeling. Conversely,
painting the walls pink (a warm color) would immediately
warm up and enliven the room. Neither look is wrong;
your color choice depends on the feeling you wish to
create in that room.
This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper
Group papers on June 10, 2006.
Go
back to the list of decorating columns.
All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna
Jacoby.
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