Burt's Business Blog

Does painting your room one continuous colour feel boring to you? These days, it's becoming more and more common to use two or more paint colours in one room. But how exactly can you make multiple colours work to create visual interest without looking zany? Here are three tips to follow.

Choose the Right Combination

Unsurprisingly, if you want to make two different paint colours work in one room, the most important consideration will be the colours themselves. If you choose a combination of colours that just don't work together, your room will never look quite right no matter how much effort you put into the rest of the steps. If you're in doubt, look at a colour wheel. Colours close to each other on the wheel create a cohesive tone. Blue-violet (often called navy blue), for example, fits in perfectly with blue or violet. For a bold and striking accent, you can choose the contrasting colour on the opposite side of the colour wheel. In the case of blue-violet, that colour would be yellow-orange, which is why navy blue and sand paint look so great together in nautical-themed colour schemes. 

Choose the Right Layout

Once you have your paint colours, you need to think about how you're going to lay them out on the walls. For the best results, you'll want to be strategic about your choices. Where you use your paint colours can change the feel of a room entirely. For example, if you want to make your room look longer, you'll want to apply your darker paint colour to the two longest walls to make them feel like they stretch further. On the opposite side, if your room is already too long and narrow feeling, painting the darkest colour on the shorter walls will make them appear closer. If you'd rather use both colours on all walls for a wainscot look, it's traditional to use the lighter colour at the top of the wall for an elevated sense of space. If you want to highlight just one wall or a specific architectural feature, use your boldest colour in that space.

Choose a Monochrome Scheme

Are you still nervous about the idea of making two different colours work in one room, even with the above tips? If so, why not consider a monochromatic colour scheme: different paint shades from the same colour family. Some examples include pairing navy blue with sky blue, black with grey, or dark brown with beige. This gives you the sense of contrast and highlight you're looking for without the worry of making sure your colours truly 'match'.

Contact professional painters for additional advice.