How to choose colors
Table of Contents
In a few steps to a nice color palette
As color designers, we work with relations and variances, nuances and estimates, sensitivity and emotion. Sought are atmosphere and mood, style and class. Since we all understand anything else by these terms, we must also determine and visualize these terms individually and in detail.
Therefore, to design a color scheme isn't one of the exact sciences with only one correct solution to an issue, even so the existence of a color theory may this suggest. For a given situation, many design solutions of the color design are possible. But among all the possibilities there is (quite) exactly the right one for our needs. That's what we want to detect!
In the following we describe a procedure to develop and implement a color palette ore color scheme which is usable in most tasks. In a first step we will determine the conditions of the room and the mood therein:
Capture situation and space
Daylight and lighting
Without light there is no color. As a basic condition for color, light and lighting are the basic conditions in color planning either. Working with color includes working with light.
Daylight is constantly changing, and so do the colors. The daylight conditions in a room influence the effect of the colors and determine what colors are suitable.
Thus, it's necessary to observe the daylight situation in the given room and characterize it. The table below may be helpful for this task:
Observe and classify the daylight in a room
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
large windows | small windows | |||||||
sunny | umbrageous | |||||||
warm | composed | |||||||
southern | Northern | |||||||
occidental | oriental | |||||||
green environment | grey environment | |||||||
brown environment | blue environment |
- The markings are mostly located in the left pane: bright and warm atmosphere.
- The markings are mostly located in the right pane: shady and cool atmosphere.
- The arrangement of the markings is balanced or rather in the center: neutral atmosphere.
Depending on the colors, the existing ambiance can now be intensified, on the other hand it's possible to attenuate it. With a neutral colored scheme the given mood is hardly affected. In the matrix below we can specify in which color range we should develop our color scheme and deduce whether the color palette should include more warm, cool or neutral colors:
Figure out the desired indoor climate
Given mood of the room | |||
bright, warm | neutral | umbrageous, cool | |
Desired mood of the room | Color temperature to choose | ||
more warm | warm | neutral | warm |
warm | neutral | cool | neutral |
neutral | cool | more cool | cool |
Example: The given mood in the room is rather shady and cool. Since the room should serve as a working room, we want a more neutral atmosphere there. So we will create a palette of warm color shades.
Architectural style and interior work of the room
Not only the walls and ceiling have to be included in the color planning, but the entire room with all the interior work. The interior work signifies the style and the function of a room and also affects its ambiance.
Therefore, we are about to identify the formal and functional conditions of the room to gain further clues for the development of the color scheme:
Shape and dimensions of the room
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
high | low | |||||||
wide | small | |||||||
square | contorted | |||||||
enclosed | opening up |
Style of the interior work
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
modern | classical | |||||||
petty bourgeois | bourgeois | |||||||
square | contorted | |||||||
handy | splendid |
Use and type of the room
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
private | societal | |||||||
calm | vivid | |||||||
pragmatic | romantic | |||||||
arranged | arbitrary |
We now collect pictures and samples fitting and well illustrating the selected attributes. We also consider the insights we have gained from observing the lighting situation. In our collection we include samples of the materials and colors that already exist in the room and remain unchanged.
Develop a color palette
Distinguish the mood in the room
After we watched the lighting situation and captured the kind of the room, we now are ready to develop a matching color scheme. First, we will try to draw a more accurate picture of the desired ambiance. To do so, some properties, characterizations or descriptions of atmosphere are compared with each other in the table below:
Fathom the aspired ambiance
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
dynamic | restrained | |||||||
gentle | neutral | |||||||
animating | relaxing | |||||||
intimate | generally | |||||||
courteous | rigorous | |||||||
cheery | austere | |||||||
centered | loosing | |||||||
calming | vivifying | |||||||
rough | tender | |||||||
fair | deep | |||||||
loud | extenuated | |||||||
soft | strict | |||||||
mellow | composed | |||||||
airy | earthy |
- The markings are mostly located in the left pane: animating atmosphere.
- The markings are mostly located in the right pane: calming atmosphere.
- The arrangement of the markings is balanced or rather in the center: neutral atmosphere.
In a second step we now examine our pictures and samples, discard unsuitable material and if necessary complement our collection with designs that even better fit to the desired ambiance.
Distinguish the style of the room
Since we know more about the desired ambiance, we may go ahead with the styling and refining of the color palette. To gain more clarity about the aspired style, we in turn will create a profile using the next table:
Fathom the aspired style
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
trendy | timeless | |||||||
luxurious | modest | |||||||
playful | factual | |||||||
opulent | soberly | |||||||
elemental | artificial | |||||||
modern | conservative | |||||||
cautious | striking | |||||||
cosy | distinguished | |||||||
familiar | exotic | |||||||
clear cut | complex | |||||||
enhancing | framing | |||||||
functional | multi-functional |
Taking into account the style profile we review our collection of samples. We sort out the colors and illustrations which less match the aspired style. After this clarification and simplification we should already have a color palette which shows the basic color mood and ambiance.
Mood-board and verification on the spot
We now arrange the distilled color samples according to the given elements and details of the room. Because with the elaboration of the mood-board our color scheme should become substantiated and made tangible, the proportions and material qualities of the samples should comply with the later reality.
While working on the mood-board we also try to jump mentally from the color swatch to its application in the space. Finally we will provide to each set color tone some tolerable brighter and darker nuances.
Once the mood-board has reached a satisfying level, the swatches should be positioned in the room to observe and check their effect. Right on the spot and using the provided shades of brightness we also do the fine-tuning of the color tones.
Links
Literature
Bettina Rodeck, Gerhard Meerwein, Frank H. Mahnke: Farbe - Kommunikation im Raum. Basel, Birkhäuser, 2007. ISBN 978-3764375959
David Oliver: Paint and Paper. Conran Octopus, 2007. ISBN 978-1840914030