How To Pick A Color Palette – Part 4 (Split-Complementary Colors)

What are split-complementary colors?

If you remember from past lessons, complementary colors are any two colors opposite of each other on the color wheel. A split-complementary color palette, on the other hand, is any color paired with the two colors on either side of its complement. Split-complementary colors consist of 3 colors and form a “Y” on the color wheel.

5 Homes With A Split-Complementary Color Palette

If you are comfortable with color, paint or wallpaper the walls in one of the three colors in your palette. Incorporate the other two colors through furniture, rugs, artwork or tapestries. If you prefer a more subtle approach to color, or if you’re just dipping your toe into color play, paint the walls a neutral color and sprinkle in color through fabrics, artwork, and decor. Take the rooms below as a perfect example of the two routes you could take. One room is fully engulfed in color and the other follows a more subtle approach.

To pick a split-complementary color palette for your own home, look at a color wheel and draw an imaginary “Y” over top. Rotate the “Y” on the center axis to discover all 12 color combinations that are possible. Once you pick a trio of colors you like, decide which hue will be the primary color, which hue will be the less-used complementary color, and which hue will be incorporated through little pops here and there. As mentioned in previous articles, this formula is called the 60/30/10 rule. Read more about the 60/30/10 rule here.

Does this give you some guidance moving forward? I hope you feel confident picking a color palette for your home! You have the knowledge to do it now, so just go for it!

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