Every major holiday has its own colour schemes. Like for example, if you see a lot of red and green combinations, you know Christmas is around the corner! The world has long associated Christmas with this classic colour combination. This tradition actually started centuries ago, when the colour combination was used to commemorate the holiday. Evergreen plants like ivy and mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up houses in the winters. And that’s how the shade green became a classic Christmas colour. The origin of red for the holidays goes back to the early use of Holly berries, which is also said to represent the blood of Jesus when he died on the cross. So, the next time you see this colour combination during Christmas, you will know the significance of it!

People tend to associate colours and scents. According to a study conducted by researches in 2014, people are likely to associate fruity, floral scents with colours such as light pink, green and purple. Whereas musty and woody scents are associated with colours like brown and orange. Earlier, this tendency to correlate scents and colours was considered as a condition known as Synesthesia. But after the study, it was proven that this tendency is actually a global one and prevalent across different cultures and countries across the world.

Do colour combinations impact the old and young differently? Interestingly, some researches indicated that achromatic colour pairs (like shades of grey) were less liked by older observers than by young observers. Single colours, dark and achromatic colours and whites were also less liked by older observers than by younger observers. In another study on the role of colour combinations, people generally prefer colour pairs with similar hues when the two colours are both in the foreground. However, a bigger contrast between the figure and the background is preferred. For companies that produce multi coloured merchandise, to appeal to customer preferences, they should consider minimizing the number of colours visible and use similar hues in one product.

Choosing the right interior paint colours can be tricky. The shade we choose to adorn our walls plays an important role in setting the right mood. So, how can you arrive at the best colour choices for your home walls? Looking at the overall colour scheme of the space, including aesthetics and décor elements, fabrics and flooring is a good place to start. Think about how a particular shade will look with the existing elements. For interior wall painting ideas, the colours should work in harmony and complement each other well. For comfortable and energising rooms, paint with warm colours like yellow, red and orange. However, ensure you use these colours in limited doses. Use cool colours like blue and green to make a room relaxing. And select neutral colours to balance out other colours. Always remember to test out the colours in different lighting since the way a room is lit can have a huge impact on how the colour looks on your home walls.

In the context of colour theory, neutral means without colour. But neutrals such as ivory, beige, grey, black and some shades of white when used in some applications can actually have an undertone that can create an understated and classy look. For neutral walls, choose paint colours based on how much natural light the room receives. Darker walls seem to close the room up and make it smaller, so if your room is large and light, you can consider dark neutrals. If the room is small, a light neutral is likely to be a better choice. Or just opt for the classic, timeless white if you can’t deal with trends anymore.

Understanding colour theory and how colour schemes work together is important in creating a successful home décor design. Think beyond beige and white for a lasting colour scheme you’ll love to incorporate in your home. High contrast combinations can be dramatic and sophisticated. You can use different elements in the room to create a unique colour scheme. Create different combinations using colours and hues for wall paints, flooring, ceiling, furnishings, décor pieces and fabrics to breathe life and personality into any room. Just make sure that you limit yourself to colours in the same temperature family. For example, warm colour palette that includes reds, oranges and yellows and cool colour palette that includes grays, greens and blues.