How to select a balanced paint palette.

60-30-10 is a simple rule we designers use when selecting colour. The 60 percent + 30 percent + 10 percent are the proportions that allow us to create balance with the colours we use.

Here’s How to Apply the 60-30-10 Rule.

Your 60 percent is the main color for your room. Most likely the 60 percent in a living room would be most of your walls large accent pieces like area rugs, and perhaps a sofa. The idea is that the 60 percent color anchors the space and also serves as a backdrop for what comes next. 

Your 30 percent is the secondary color. You’ll be using half as much of this color as your main color. So this could be draperies, accent chairs, bed linens, painted furniture, or an accent wall. The idea is that the secondary color supports the main color, but is different enough to set them apart and give the room interest. The real fun comes with the accent color you’ll be adding next. 

Your 10 percent is your accent color. For a living room, this is your pillows, throws, accessories, and artwork. For a bedroom, this could be decorative pillows on the bed, lamps on the bedside table, and candles on the nightstand. Your accent color can be pulled from artwork in the room, or from a printed fabric on larger items. 

Here’s How to Break the 60-30-10 Rule

Using this timeless, tried and true decorating rule can make your color choices so easy that you may wonder why everyone doesn’t follow it. But perhaps you’re a bit of a rebel who wants to think outside the box when it comes to creating a color scheme, or you feel that you need more than three choices to express your color ideas. Whatever your reason is for wanting to break the 60-30-10 rule, there are ways to do it while still creating color balance in your home.

The key to any great creative project has always been to learn the rules before breaking them, so once you understand the basic premise of this rule, you can customize it for your own rooms. It also helps to learn the dos and don’ts of using colour first.

For the Rule breakers!!

We have been known to break the rules from time to time too. So choose your 60 percent main color, your 30 percent secondary color, but choose two 10 percent accent colors instead of one. There are times when one accent color is just not enough, so go ahead and get that extra throw pillow or candle holder.

Go Monochromatic

Monochromatic colour is addition of white or black to any colour.

When you create a monochromatic colour scheme, your main, secondary, and accent colors, can be varying shades of the same color, rather than three separate colors. A neutral greige can be soothing as your 60 percent main color, a deep shade of the same greige is stunning as your 30 percent secondary color, and a pale shade of your greige lightens up the scheme as your 10 percent accent color. A neutral monochromatic colour scheme creates an extremely relaxing environment.

So, go get your paint brushes and get painting, but remember to have fun. If you get lost in the rules and need help selecting the perfect colour palette, you can always call Jane Baker Interiors.