How to Use a Color Wheel to Help Decorate Your Home
Learn the basics of color theory and about primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Plus get tips on how to choose a monochrome, complementary or analogous color scheme.
When you're decorating, choosing a color scheme can be a perplexing task. It's hard enough whittling down your choice to one or two colors — but then to have to mix and match even more of them into an eye-pleasing scheme? Sometimes considering the whole color wheel is just too much to ask.
Before you turn back on the world of color, get a grasp of the color wheel and how it works.
The Basic Color Wheel
In 1666, Sir Isaac Newton performed a prism experiment in which he discovered that pure white light contains the full spectrum of colors — in effect, creating the world’s first color wheel. From there, philosophers, scientists, artists and designers have continued studying the components of color and its physical, psychological and philosophical effects.
![Use Color Wheel for Selecting Colors color wheel](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Full_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400967008479.jpeg)
Basic color wheel
Newton's wheel is made up of 12 colors, which are classified into three categories:
Primary Colors: Red, Yellow + Blue
![HGTV Color Wheel Shows Primary Colors](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Primary_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966170604.jpeg)
Secondary Colors: Orange, Green + Violet
Secondary colors are created by mixing primary colors.
![HGTV Color Wheel Shows Secondary Colors](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Secondary_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966919092.jpeg)
Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are a combination of a secondary color and a primary color next to it. They include yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green and yellow-green.
![HGTV Color Wheel Shows Tertiary Colors](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Tertiary_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966919024.jpeg)
Color Schemes
Now that you know the colors here are four common ways to use them in your home.
Monochromatic: One Color
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Monochromatic_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966919241.jpeg)
![Designer Bradley Odom’s team revitalized this primary bedroom by doubling down on a striking hue. The Schumacher wool satin he chose to upholster the bed’s channel-tufted headboard is a perennial favorite; to create tone-on-tone drama, “we color matched the paint to the fabric,” he explains. Pale linens, seating and artwork all contrast beautifully with the deep green of the walls, molding and bed. (To give your space an extra bit of contemporary edge, literally and figuratively, carry your walls’ paint color all the way to the ceiling, as Bradley did here.) The fabric he chose for the drapes and throw pillow, in turn, is Lee Jofa’s Jessup — “what I like to call ‘a subtle statement.’”](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2021/6/16/2/CI_Bradley-Odom_Sugarbend-Farm-principal-bedroom.jpeg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1623868601599.jpeg)
Sarah Dorio
![Oversized gray sofas provide plenty of comfy seating in this neutral contemporary living room. A long row of windows allow natural light to flood the space and perfect for entertaining.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2018/5/14/0/HUHH2018-Urban_Paris-France_6.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1526318665691.jpeg)
Daniel Feau Conseil Immobilier, SA., a member of Luxury Portfolio International
![Neutral and contemporary, this living room has a low-slung sofa with solid and cheetah-print throw pillows. Sunburst mirrors reflect the space and bounce light around the room.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/8/29/0/original_Jeff-Andrews-gold-living-room-cheetah-print_s3x4.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.822.85.suffix/1400962931428.jpeg)
![The comfortable and stylish first-floor guest bedroom with terra cotta walls and ceiling includes coral accents and subtle shore-inspired elements like driftwood garland for a chic coastal look.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2015/11/11/3/dh2016_guest_bedroom-pillows-bedding-desk-lamp_h.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1447255739736.jpeg)
Take baby steps toward color with a monochromatic scheme. It's simply one color in varying intensities from light to dark.
Analogous: Two to Six Similar Colors
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Analogous_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400967008475.jpeg)
![Taupe cabinets are clad in solid wood countertops for the small kitchen in this Montana bunkhouse. Open shelves keep dishes handy, while a vivid orange fish-motif rug adds color to the space.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2017/5/18/1/FOD17_Carter-Kay_Ennis-Montana-Bunkhouse_11.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.924.85.suffix/1495157945431.jpeg)
Carter Kay
![This modern kitchen features emerald green cabinets, white picket tile backsplash and a navy blue washable rug.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2022/5/20/0/RX_HGMAG99_Smith-02.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1653060848093.jpeg)
David Tsay
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2022/4/22/0/CI_Annie-Sloan_Antoinette-kitchen-lifestyle.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.440.85.suffix/1650655374862.jpeg)
Annie Sloan
![The living room’s two lounge-worthy custom sofas offer a fresh take on a classic English arm sofa, and provide super comfortable seating. The sofas are made from a performance fabric that looks and feels like velvet, but it’s washable. Its subtle cinnamon color pairs beautifully with the rich gold walls of the room.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2021/8/17/3/uo21_living-room-wide-45-1V0A1492_h.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1629739189179.jpeg)
Robert Peterson; Rustic White Photography
Branch out into color with an analogous scheme, which consists of two to six colors that sit next to each other on the wheel. Common choices include pairing blue and green, yellow and orange or red and pink.
Complementary: Two Contrasting Colors
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Complementary_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400964299631.jpeg)
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgrm/fullset/2013/9/17/0/CI-Andrea-Brooks-pink-red-living-room-close-up_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1405475952801.jpeg)
![A bold, vivid shade of royal blue surrounds the fireplace in this striking living room. The blue surround provides a lovely contrast — in both color and style — to the traditional white mantel.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2015/7/29/0/Metcalfe-Architecture-Design_color-crazy_4.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.822.85.suffix/1438201869823.jpeg)
Sam Oberter Photography
![An orange accent wall instantly infuses this guest bedroom with warmth. The space also features two blue-patterned frames, a large dresser and a marbled lamp for reading into the evening.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2018/6/22/1/IO_Jenn-Feldman_Pelham_14.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.924.85.suffix/1529691855711.jpeg)
Amy Bartlam
![HGTV Magazine shares the details on this eclectic living room with painted green stripes on the walls, vintage gold accents and a pair of floral chairs.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2024/2/22/0/RX_HGMAG115_Wow-06.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.822.85.suffix/1708620746553.jpeg)
Jenasie Earl
Want to go for high-contrast color? Use a complementary scheme — it includes hues that are directly across from each other on the wheel. Common examples include yellow and blue, red and green or purple and yellow.
Triad
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Triad_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966919003.jpeg)
![Nosegays of roses bring a touch of romance to this bedside table tableau.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2020/6/25/0/IO_Caitlin-Wilson_Highland-Park_17.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.924.85.suffix/1593107266515.jpeg)
Katie Nixon Photography
![This boho dining room from HGTV Magazine features mauve walls and a leafy hand-painted mural.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2023/3/20/0/RX_HGMAG108_Guyton-03.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.822.85.suffix/1679331296644.jpeg)
Adam Albright
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2023/6/27/03/CI_AmyPigliacampoInteriors_ParkSlope-guest-bedroom.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1687886728419.jpeg)
Corey Szopinski
![This fun living room from HGTV Magazine features purple-pink walls, a green sofa and a faux flower wall.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2023/3/27/0/RX_HGMAG108_Wow-05.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.822.85.suffix/1679944736778.jpeg)
Amina Mucciolo
A triad scheme is bold but more importantly, it's balanced. It's made up of any three colors that form a triangle in the center of the wheel.
Color Dimensions
In addition to understanding how colors work together, it's also helpful to know the three dimensions of the colors on the wheel.
Hue is commonly used interchangeably with the word color but technically refers to the pure spectrum colors in the color wheel.
The value of a hue is determined by adding white to create a tint, black to create a shade or gray to create a tone.
Saturation is the purity of the hue. The colors on the wheel are considered to be in their purest form. As the colors move towards the center, as shown in the graphic at right, they are considered desaturated where no hue dominates.
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Hue-Tint-Shade-Tone_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966918902.jpeg)
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2011/7/18/0/HGTV_Color-Wheel-Saturation_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.85.suffix/1400966170608.jpeg)
Natural Reactions to Color
Do you shiver when you’re in a light blue space? Fan yourself in a room full of red? Don’t worry — there’s a scientific reason why. Colors are indelibly tied to natural elements like fire, water and sky, evoking certain responses just as if you were seeing and experiencing it firsthand.
Cool Colors
Cool colors like blue and green do just that — cool and soothe your mind, body and spirit. It's no wonder we flock to the ocean and mountains to rejuvenate our senses. These hues are best used in rooms where you want serenity to prevail.
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Warm Colors
Warm colors like red, orange and yellow give off an energy and intensity unmatched by their cooler cousins. Use these hues in rooms where you anticipate (and want) activity and stimulation, like a kitchen, child’s playroom or exercise space.
Warm Color Ideas: Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow + More 141 Photos
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