When you are ready to start choosing colors for your home’s decor, it may seem overwhelming.  There are so many to pick from but you don’t want to make your space look too busy or cluttered by choosing incorrectly.  Making sure you strike the right balance is a must, but many people don’t know where to start or what guidelines to use to ensure success in their endeavor.  To keep things simple, we suggest using a popular rule well known in interior design: The 60-30-10 rule.

What is the 60-30-10 rule? Using these numbers as basic percentages, you can break down how to properly distribute color throughout any room you want to decorate.  Three colors is a good number for a start.  No need to overwhelm the space with too many things going on.  The basic idea of the rule is to use 60% of the space for a dominant color, 30% on a secondary color and 10% on an accent color.

The dominant color, or 60% of your space, is usually reserved for wall color as this is the largest surface area in the room.  Using a neutral color is best since it will be more versatile if you want to change up the look of the room every now and then. Updating the accessories in the room is definitely easier than having to repaint all the walls.

The secondary color, or 30% of your space, refers mostly to any upholstered furniture in the room or even a large area rug.  It is also recommended to also choose a color that is more on the neutral side as well so that your large pieces complement the wall color as well as keep the focus on your accessories.  You can even play around with lighter or darker shades of the color you are currently using on the walls. 

The accent color, the final 10% of the space, is where you will be able to inject some fun into the room.  With the neutral foundation, you will have created in the space, choosing a color that pops will definitely draw the eye upon entering.  Using accessories in the same color family will keep you from having to use the same exact shade for everything.  For example, multiple shades of reds or blues will really shine when showcased properly.  Try to hang a picture or piece of art on the wall that ties in with your accent color to bring it all together.

Embrace the 60-30-10 rule today and see how easy it is to decorate any room in your home.