This is the art of choosing, arranging and maintaining furnishings in the home. Colour is an important aspect in furnishing.
Table of Contents
Colour
Colour is an element of design which can only be seen in the presence of light
Characteristics of colour
There are three main characteristics of colour.
These are:
Hue
Intensity
Hue
Hue is the name of a colour.
Value
Value is the degree of lightness or darkness of a colour.
The lighter values are known as tints while the darker values are known as shades.
To get tints white is added to the hue while black is added to get shades.
Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a colour.
Colour Wheel
A colour wheel is the arrangement of colour in a circle showing their relationship.
Colours are classified into three groups namely:
Primary Colours
Secondary Colours
Tertiary Colours
Primary colours
Primary colours are basic colours and cannot be produced by mixing other colours.
These are:
Red
Blue
Yellow
Secondary Colours
Secondary colours are obtained by mixing two primary colours.
They are:
Orange
Green
Violet
Orange
Orange is obtained by mixing red and yellow.
Green
Green is obtained by mixing yellow and blue.
Violet/ purple
Violet/purple is obtained by mixing red and blue.
Tertiary Colours
Tertiary Colours are obtained by mixing a primary and a secondary colour.
These include:
Creating a Colour Wheel
Colour scheme
Colour scheme is the overall effect of the colour used on all the surfaces in a room or space.
There are many types of colour schemes however in this topic we shall discuss the following:
Monochromatic
Analogous
Complementary
Triad
Monochromatic colour scheme
This is whereby one colour is used together with its tints and shades.
Analogous colour scheme
This is the use of two or three colours that lie next to each other on the colour wheel.
Complementary colour scheme
This is combining of colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel which creates a contrasting harmony.
Complementary colour schemes include:
Single complementary
Split complementary
Double complementary
Single complementary
This is the use of one colour and the directly opposite it on the colour wheel.
Split complementary
This is the use of a colour and two other colours on either side of its complement on the colour wheel.
For example, green, red-violet and red-orange.
Double complementary
This is a colour scheme that uses four colours.
Two colours and their complements.
Triad colour scheme
This is the use of three colours which are at equal distance from each other on the colour wheel.
See also: