Interior design can transform a house into a home by using the right colors in the right places. The 60-30-10 colour rule interior design is a simple yet powerful method to create balanced and harmonious living spaces. With the 60-30-10 rule interior design, you can easily achieve a stylish and cohesive look. Join us to explore this design principle to apply to your home space.
What Is The 60-30-10 Decorating Rule
The 60-30-10 decorating rule is a classic interior design principle used to achieve balanced and harmonious color schemes. This rule suggests that colors in a space should be divided into three specific proportions: 60%, 30%, and 10%. These proportions guide the distribution of colors to create an aesthetically pleasing environment.
- 60% - dominant color: The dominant color makes up 60% of the color scheme. This is usually a neutral or softer hue that sets the overall tone of the room. This color is applied to the largest surfaces, such as walls, flooring, and large pieces of furniture.
- 30% - secondary color: The secondary color accounts for 30% of the space and can be bolder than the dominant color. It provides visual interest without overwhelming the room. This color is used for medium-sized elements, such as curtains, accent furniture, and bedding.
- 10% - accent color: The accent color is the boldest and makes up 10% of the color scheme. It adds pops of interest and vibrancy to the room. This color is used for small accessories and details, such as throw pillows, artwork, and vases.
The 60-30-10 rule ensures that no single color dominates the space, creating a balanced and visually appealing environment.
By following a framework for color distribution, you can achieve a cohesive look where colors complement rather than clash with each other.
This rule offers a guideline that can be adapted to different styles and preferences while maintaining a harmonious look.
While 60-30-10 is common, designers sometimes change it up. Here are two other ways to split up colors that can work well too:
70-20-10 Rule: For a more subtle, less contrasting look, where the dominant color is even more pronounced.
50-35-15 Rule: Allows for a more prominent secondary color, giving a balanced yet slightly more dynamic color scheme.
Choosing Colors For 60-30-10 Rule
Picking the right colors is key to making the 60-30-10 rule work. Let's look at some easy ways to choose colors that go well together.
Color Wheel Strategies
This strategy involves using different shades of the same color. It creates a unified and soothing look, for creating a serene environment.
This approach uses colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. It provides a harmonious and rich palette, making it perfect for a balanced yet dynamic design.
This method uses colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. It introduces contrast and visual interest, making the space vibrant and engaging.
Consider Room Function
For areas like the kitchen or home office, where activity and productivity are essential, use energizing colors like red, orange, or yellow.
In spaces meant for relaxation, such as bedrooms or living rooms, opt for calming colors like blues, greens, or soft neutrals to promote tranquility.
Light Considerations
Colors can look different depending on the time of day and the amount of natural light entering the space.
Before finalizing your color choices, test paint samples on the walls and observe them in natural light throughout the day to see how they change.
Tips For Implementation 60-30-10 Rule
These tips will help you confidently implement this principle in your own space, ensuring a cohesive and visually striking result:
- Start with the 60% color - this dominant color will set the tone for the entire space. Typically, this should be a more subdued or neutral color that provides a backdrop for the room. For example, in a living room color application, you might choose a soft beige or gray for the walls, which are consistent with current color trends towards neutral and calming environments.
- Incorporating neutrals into your 60-30-10 rule interior design provides flexibility for changing accent colors over time. Neutrals such as whites, grays, and beiges serve as a stable base, allowing you to experiment with different accent colors without needing to redecorate entirely.
- Use patterns to bring multiple colors from your scheme into the space. For example, a patterned rug or throw pillows can combine your 60% dominant color with your 30% secondary color and 10% accent color, adhering to the rule of 3 in interior design, which suggests using three colors in a room to maintain balance and interest.
- Introduce your colors through various elements like furniture, textiles, and accessories. For instance, your 60% color might be reflected in the walls and large furniture pieces, the 30% secondary color in curtains and rugs, and the 10% accent color in smaller accessories like vases and cushions.
- To achieve a cohesive look, use your chosen color scheme consistently throughout the home. This doesn’t mean every room needs to look the same, but there should be a sense of flow and harmony from one room to the next. This approach uses color balance techniques to ensure that no single area feels out of place.
- Achieving a balanced feel often involves mixing cool and warm colors. For example, a living room might use a cool gray as the 60% dominant color, a warm taupe as the 30% secondary color, and a vibrant mustard yellow as the 10% accent.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Overusing the accent color: The 60-30-10 rule interior design specifies that the accent color should only occupy 10% of the space. Overusing this color can create visual chaos and overwhelm the primary and secondary colors.
- Choosing clashing colors: The goal of the 60-30-10 rule interior design is to create a cohesive and harmonious look. Selecting colors that clash can undermine this objective. It's essential to choose colors that complement each other rather than compete for attention. Utilize a color wheel to identify complementary colors that enhance each other’s presence.
- Forgetting to consider existing elements: Ignoring aspects such as flooring, built-in cabinetry, or architectural details can lead to a design that feels disconnected. For instance, if your space has rich, wooden floors, incorporating earthy tones into your dominant and secondary colors will create a more cohesive look. A natural wood floor might be complemented by a warm beige (60%), olive green (30%), and a terracotta accent (10%) to tie the space together seamlessly.
Conclusion
The 60-30-10 rule interior design transforms any living space into a vibrant, balanced, and visually appealing environment. This simple yet effective method ensures your home looks cohesive and inviting by allocating colors in a harmonious proportion.
Try to explore and implement this rule in your homes and visit COZY to discover a range of living room products designed to help you create the ideal color scheme.
