my Old Workshop

How to create color schemes

Maybe you don’t need to be an artist to paint your house, but your finished work is on permanent display. You — and dozens of others — will see it every day.

To get rave reviews for your masterpiece, here’s an idea of how colors work together to create the look you want. The color wheel below shows the primary and secondary colors.

Monochromatic. By using the same hue, but different values (lighter and darker), you create a classic, conservative look. Think of a Colonial with values ranging from white to light gray to dark gray to black. You should notice the change in values, so don’t make them too close together.

Neutral. Monochromatic too conservative, but you still want an elegant look? Try painting the main part of your house a subdued color like gray or beige, then accent it with lighter colored trim and paint doors or windows deep, rich colors.

Analogous. This is a little like monochromatic, but a bit more dynamic. Instead of using different values of the same hue, you choose three or more colors which are side-by-side on the color wheel (like blue, aqua and green).

Complementary. Colors like red and green or blue and orange work together naturally, and create classic, popular combos. Find complements by taking two colors from opposite sides of the wheel. Or jazz it up a little by using the two colors on either side of the true complementary color (called split complementary).

Triad. Not for everyone — or every neighborhood — but if you really want to grab attention, try any three colors spaced at equal intervals.