Thinking of bedroom paint ideas can be very confusing. You can take various inspirations from all sorts of places but if you don’t have a sense of the basics, things can get tricky.
Artists, designers, filmmakers, and photographers still utilize basic color theory as a basis for creating wonderful, unique, and creative imagery that is incredibly appealing to the eye.
For your bedroom paint ideas, you too can learn and utilize color theory to get the best results. Color theory lets you know what colors look good and what don’t. This can make your whole painting process easier. Who wouldn’t want to work with expert techniques that can streamline your project? Color theory may sound tedious and old-fashioned but it’s a tried-and-tested, well-researched technique that’s guaranteed to work for all kinds of rooms and projects.
In the mornings, it’s definitely hard to get up and get started on your day, especially if your room is cozy and warm. You can use color theory and bedroom paint ideas to help you boost your mood and start your day right. Colors have a psychological effect on people, which you can manipulate to set a different aesthetic and energy for your bedroom.
To get started with color theory, you have to first understand it and how it works. How did people come up with this technique? How can this affect the vibe of your bedroom? Today, we’ll be exploring and answering these questions to help you formulate the best bedroom paint ideas.
Understanding Color Theory
Before getting started with your paint project and purchasing your materials, it’s much better to first start with understanding color theory. Jumping impulsively without having a plan prior to painting can present you with a lot of challenges. You would be going about your project in a disorgnized and clueless fashion. Let’s change that by learning about color theory.
Color theory combines science and art when using color. This theory can explain how humans interpret color and can help see the visual effects of how colors mix. Color theory can also help match or contrast colors. You can also use color theory to see the hidden messages of colors and what methods are utilized to replicate colors. The colors are organized using a color wheel and they’re grouped into three categories. You have primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors.
The color wheel usually consists of 12 colors that can be mixed in various combinations to create different and unique hues. There are colors that complement each other while other combinations can clash. You’ll find that your colors can be divided into two categories – warm and cool. Warm colors are mostly vivid and give an overall energetic vibe. You can find the warm colors on the color wheel, just look for the reds, oranges, and yellows. Cool colors on the other hand range from violet to blue and green. These colors are usually calm and soothing. Although white and black are technically not considered colors, for our purposes, let us consider them as neutral colors. Together with gray, these neutrals can take on the properties of other surrounding colors.
The expanded color wheel is based on the standard color wheel and has added variants of colors around the wheel. You can even find other color wheels that have tints, shades, and tones for each color. Tint can be defined as a variant of color that’s made by adding white to lighten it. Shades are darkened hues by adding black to a color. Grays added to color can create an entirely different tone altogether.
Once you have a basic understanding of traditional color theory, the next best thing you can brush up on is the difference between modern and traditional color theory.
The Difference Between Modern and Traditional Color Theory
There is a significant difference between modern and traditional color theory. You can find that traditional color theory isn’t really based on much science. However, with modern color theory, it’s based heavily on Isaac Newton’s color wheel. You’ll immediately find that Newton’s color wheel will show three categories of color. You have the primaries consisting of red, blue and yellow, the secondary colors and the tertiary colors
- Primary Colors
Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. They’re placed on the wheel equidistant from each other. Primary colors are considered the basis for all other colors. You can mix these primaries to form any color you desire, but they cannot be mixed from other colors.
- Secondary Colors
Secondary colors can be made by taking two primary colors from the color wheel and mixing them. These colors can be centered between the primaries once they’re on the wheel.
- Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are made from mixing a primary color with a secondary color. Examples of a tertiary color are red-orange, blue-purple, and blue-green.
These colors can be combined to make various color schemes, which can be used to create harmonious designs and combinations. You can create a great color scheme by using these principles and making the right combination with either two, three, or four colors from the wheel. Color schemes can be created from hues, tints, shades, or tones. Try matching hues with other hues and similar tints; you might find yourself with a good color combination.
There are five color schemes you can create from your unique combination of colors. These color schemes are:
- Analogous
Analogous color schemes are based on the three colors that sit next to each other on the wheel.
- Complementary
The first set of complementary colors are yellow and purple, blue and orange, red and green. A pair of complementary colors is made up of one cool and color and one warm. Complementary colors can create high contrast results. When you put two colors together, they make each other brighter.
- Split-complementary
Split-complementary is a combination of analogous and complementary color schemes.
- Triadic
Triadic uses three colors with equal distances from each other on the color wheel.
- Tetradic
Tetradic color schemes use two sets of complementary colors which can create an interesting color scheme.
Applying Color Theory to Your Bedroom Paint Ideas
Now how can you apply color theory to your bedroom paint ideas? Take a look at your color wheel and remember the basics of color theory. Here you can find the best color combination at your fingertips. You can choose from analogous color schemes and complementary color schemes to get a simple combination. Below are some examples you can use as inspiration for your bedroom painting project.
- Poppy Red
One simple color scheme you can use that is filled with energy yet still has the power to remain subtle is the combination of red, black, and white. The simple black and white combination can become edgier with a pop of red. You can start your color scheme by painting your walls white, which means that you have that as the dominant color in the room. Then you can proceed with using black and red as your accent colors. Use this color scheme for a modern look for your bedroom.
- Gray
Another color scheme that is absolutely timeless is using gray as the dominant color. Choosing this hue may seem like a gloomy choice but you can add play with other colors in your decor and furniture. Gray is a neutral color that has the flexibility to work well with different styles of decor and furniture. Think of it as your canvas and let your furnishings provide the other colors you would like to have in the space.
- Blue and White
A blue and white combination gives a clean, inviting, friendly, and cozy ambience. This color combo also works well with decor and furniture in earth tones for a balanced and natural look.
- Pink and Gray
A chic color combination is pink and gray. It can add a simple and subtle feminine flavor to a bedroom, especially if you use the very trendy pale pink like the Cloud of Unknowing of the palette ENCHANT of Boysen Color Trend 2019. This particular tint is fresh and light and won’t overpower your color scheme because it can still be considered as a light neutral.
- Living Coral
Living Coral is Pantone’s color of the year. It’s a bright and fun color you can combine with pink or orange. It gives off a very strong summer vibe, and can give a chic retro look to any room.
- Forest Green
Forest green and earthy brown colors are a fine choice for bedroom paint ideas. There is so much depth to be found with this combo but it can sometimes be overpowering. You can avoid a heavy mood by bringing in as much natural light as possible in the room, adding a light neutral to break the weight of the two colors. Another way is to choose your brown well by using the look of blonde wood.
- Light Beige and Turquoise
Beige can be a perfect foil for turquoise. It’s a color combination that isn’t overbearing and gaudy, and can be quite elegant if you incorporate furniture and decor in deep earth tones for balance and warmth.
- Mustard Yellow
Mustard yellow is a muted form of gold that can form a beautiful combination with red, purple, or blue. Paint an accent wall with mustard yellow to add some spice to a space, and incorporate the other hues in your furniture and decor. Mustard yellow with red, purple or blue is a statement in itself. Any of the combinations can bring energy and brightness to a space.
- Navy Blue and Subtle Red
This combination is heavily inspired by nautical themes. It’s a great combination as these two colors can give each other good contrast while still remaining very harmonious. Red is a strong color which won’t overpower navy blue. Make navy blue an accent color or simply use red for your decor against navy blue-painted walls.
The Psychology of Color Theory
Color is very powerful, and it can directly affect the disposition and mood of a person. It can also influence decisions and behavior. If a person has a deep understanding of color, he can harness color psychology for business and marketing.
Color is light that travels in waves. It has the same wavelength as the electromagnetic spectrum present in radios and televisions. Through our eyes, light is the only part of the spectrum that is visible to the human eye. As light hits an object, this object will absorb the wavelength that matches its own atomic structure. This would explain the scientific side of color, but what about the meaning of it?
Color psychology is a popular technique used in applications such as art, marketing, and design. Do take note that your feelings and perceptions about color are a deeply personal experience. You may not view some colors the exact same way others do and that’s perfectly understandable.
Some colors that you encounter can have a universal meaning. Colors that fall within the spectrum of reds can evoke feelings of warmth and comfort. It can also be associated with anger and a stimulation of senses. Cool colors, on the other hand, are often associated with calmness, sadness, or apathy.
In various ancient cultures, chromotherapy is a form of therapy that uses colors to promote healing. You can apply the various principles you learned to get good bedroom paint ideas for your projects.
Making Color Theory Work with Boysen Philippines
For your house color ideas, making color theory work in your favor is easy. Color theory lets you use a blend of science and art to create combinations and unique schemes. It allows you to fully exercise your creative freedom in colors with confidence when doing the interior design in your home yourself.
Combine your color theory with the high quality paints from Boysen Philippines. Let the variety of finishes create the story you want to tell for your bedroom. Painting is made easy with Boysen as you can find various colors to transform any room in your house into a work of art, your kind of art. Let your home communicate your personality and style through various color combinations. You can use color to match the moods you want the spaces to project with the functions that these spaces serve.
Boysen only offers top-of-the-line quality paints to help you make your wall painting ideas for your home design projects a reality. You can choose from a variety of pre-mixed colors, or you can get creative and go to Boysen’s Mix and Match Stations in select hardware stores and home depots nationwide to create the colors you want. Click here to learn more about our paints and other products, as well as the color trends today!