Color Harmonies

The study of color is fun and interesting. Did you know there are actually 'rules' that help you with color schemes for both indoor and outdoor decor? I've always enjoyed working with a color wheel and studying color. Each color has it's own value and hue. And color harmonies are created by choosing complementary, analogous, triadic, split-complementary, tetradic, and square color schemes. Although we generally think of home decor when we think of a color scheme, take time to look around in nature. God used his own rules for color harmony when creating the earth! It's a fun activity to spend time with children, having them paint a color wheel and then taking it outside to identify color schemes found at the park, in the woods, at the lake, or the zoo! Application of these principles then become easy when applied to projects in the home --- from setting a table to painting a bedroom.

The photo above is one that really appeals to me. At first glance it draws me because of the beautiful barn red roof! Then, of course, the lavender is noted. Both colors are near one another on the color wheel. Directly across from the color between them on the wheel is green, making this a split-complementary color harmony or scheme. Look around you and see what kinds of color harmonies you can discover in things around you. Fashion, home, nature, and more all appeal most when principles of color are applied. Simple rules. . .and great pleasure in the beauty all around.

Photo: Purple Haze Lavender Farm, Sequim, Washington