Summer Color Palettes

Whether you’re renovating your kitchen or designing a new guest bathroom, think about infusing your home design with colors this season! We know that designing with color can be a daunting task, so if you’re not sure where to start, let us help you. We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions designed to help you find your perfect summer color.

Design by KALU INTERIORS  Photography by JENNY LIU

What are the colors for the summer?

Design by PAUL SEMKULEY  Photography by GILLIAN JACKSON

First off, what’s trending in the world of color this summer? Well, this summer’s trending colors flow wildly between bright hues and muted tones. Summer colors run the gamut from pastel pink to daffodil yellow to sage green. Typically, when you think of summer you probably envision sunny days filled with beach activities, faraway destinations, and outdoor fun. To reflect that summer vibe, summer color schemes are generally bright and warm and include a range of natural colorways. This summer is no different with the following colors popularly on display: 

• Pastel pink
• Fuschia 
• Daffodil yellow
• Light blue
• Bright red
• Fair green 
• White 
• Lavender
• Coral rose
• Electric blue 

How do you use color when decorating?

National Marble Res Tile in Statuary Unity by Daltile

You can easily incorporate color through backsplashes, wallpaper, carpet flooring, trim, and cabinetry. The best way to use color is by choosing a concentrated area to pack a punch like your kitchen cabinets or bathroom backsplash tiling.

Design by HIBOU DESIGN + CO  Photography by DREW HADLEY

If you’re unsure about which colors will go well with your home design, think about the following:

Does your home have cool tones or warm tones? 

If your room has lots of bronze fixtures and gold accents, then it has a warm tone so choose warmer colors to compliment, such as yellows, oranges, pinks, and beiges. If your space embraces a cooler colorway with crisp white trim and silver hardware, then opt for cooler colors like blues, greens, and purples.

Does your space already have one dominant color?

If you’re already in love with the blue tiling in your bathroom, then make that the dominant color for your space and use complementary shades to accent that colorway through décor, window treatments, and furnishings.

What vibe do you want your room to have?

The color palette you choose will influence the other elements in your room. For instance, if you choose to decorate with greens and light wood accents, your room will most likely lean into a natural, serene vibe while decorating with Fuchsia pink and bright yellow will give it a vibrant, bubbly aesthetic.

What is the 60-30-10 decorating rule?

Design by CYNTHIA SODA  Photography by STEPHANI BUCHMAN

Something that many people often wonder is how many colors should you decorate a room with? We recommend using the 60-30-10 rule, which says that 60% of your room should be a dominant color, 30% should be a secondary color or texture and 10% should be an accent. In total, this gives you three colors to work with.

Typically, 60% is the primary background color and should be the color you most want to catch people’s eye. The 30% is the secondary color that supports your dominant color but is different enough to provide textural contrast. The 10% color is more of a fun, accent hue that you can play around with. This color can be as subtle or as bold as you want, depending on the overall theme of the room.

Design by REBECCA HAY  Photography by MIKE CHAJECKI

Maybe you’re thinking of pairing a soft summer color like blush pink with a cool summer tone like opal blue but still want a crisp white to be your primary background. White could be your dominant color, with blush pink as your secondary and blue as your accent.

Explore more summer design inspiration in our latest issue of Beautiful Design Made Simple! Read the latest tips in flooring trends and get an exclusive look behind the designs of several beautiful designer homes.`