COLOR SERIES: ISSUE ONE

The color wheel is made up of 6 colors.

3 Primary: Red, Blue, Yellow
3 Secondary: Green, Orange, Purple

Primary colors cannot be mixed from any combination of colors.

Secondary colors are combinations of the primary colors.

Red and Yellow = Orange
Red and Blue = Purple
Blue and Yellow = Green

Complementary colors are opposite colors on the color wheel.

Red and Green are Complements
Yellow and Purple are Complements
Orange and Purple are Complements
Orange and Blue are Complements
Yellow and Blue are Complements

Complementary colors work well together. When used in an interior setting they should be used in equal amounts and equal tone or intensity.

Harmonious colors are the colors next to one another on the color wheel.

Red and Orange
Blue and Purple
Blue and Green
Green and Yellow
Yellow and Orange
Red and Purple

In the 1920’s Itten, who is affiliated with the German Bauhaus movement, developed the color star that included 12 colors.

3 Primary Colors
3 Secondary Colors
6 Tertiary Colors

Mixing two secondary colors together creates Tertiary Colors.

Shade

Adding white or black to a color changes the shade of that color. For example: adding white too red creates a pink, which is a shade of red.

An interior scheme made up of different shades of the same color is a monochrome color scheme.

Tone

Tone describes different gradations of a color. There are warmer and cooler tones of a color. For example: add green too blue and you have blue-green that is warmer or add blue to purple and create a blue-purple that is cooler.

The important concept to understand is every color has a different tone or undertone.

Many times the undertone does not show itself on a single paint sample. It helps to see the colors that come before and after the color on the paint chart. This will give you a hint as to what tone the color may take on.

Another way to see a color's undertone is to put the color next to the other colors in the room. You will then begin to see the undertone of a color.

Have you ever painted a room one color and it turns out to be another? This is because all colors have an undertone. Looking at an all white paint chart will help you to visualize this concept. They are all white but if you see them next to one another some appear pink, yellow even blue.

In issue two we will discuss the effects' colors have on people. For example: Green has a calming effect.

To have the color series sent directly to you send us an e-mail.

Have Maxey's Newsletter sent to you every month. The newsletter covers decorating topics suggested by you, the users community. JOIN the newsletter today and you too can suggest a topic.

For FREE design advice E-MAIL us today,and we will respond as promptly as possible.

Contact us today with questions about our SERVICES and how we can help.

Come see us again, we will give new tips frequently.

Visit our Q&A page to view previously asked decorating questions and advice.

Don't forget to vist our LINKS.

FURNITURE DISCOUNTS

Maxey Hayse founder, is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her BFA in Interior Design. She has been responsible for numerous commercial and high-end residential project, and her work has been published in Metropolitan Home and Time Out Magazine...

Visit our BULLETIN BOARD and share advice with others.

Talk live with others on our INTERIOR DESIGN CHAT.

MAXEY HAYSE Design Studios, in association with AMAZON.COM, presents Interior Decorating BOOKS at 15% to 40% off retail.