Why Choose Contrasting Colors?

Design Notes

The world of design draws on multiple elements to create the perfect space for homeowners, a place that represents them and their particular style. Color plays a vital role in the design process, and its effects go beyond just adding a splash to the room. Color can affect our mood, communicate a message, reduce eye strain, and even help us remember certain events. It can also influence a room’s size with certain colors, making the area feel larger, while other shades create a more intimate feel. Color selection can be a fun and rewarding process, plus it provides you with a great way to tell your story. More homeowners are discovering the beauty of contrasting colors, and this choice is gaining popularity in the design world. From two-toned kitchens to contrasting cabinets and tile, these colors can spice up your design and make a stunning statement. Let’s explore more about what a contrasting color is and how it can help you tell your story.

What Are Contrasting Colors?

A color wheel showcases the standard twelve shades that comprise the basic options. Contrasting colors, also known as complementary colors, are opposite to each other, such as:

red and green (think Christmas)
blue and orange(used by many companies)
yellow and purple
Black and white

These colors provide the most contrast and are used for various purposes, like drawing attention to something or emphasizing importance. There are also differing levels of contrast. Blue and orange are considered a strong contrast, while red and orange have a lower contrast. Some low-contrast pairings include:

Purple and blue
Yellow and green
Orange and red
Green and blue

Depending on the purpose of your space, you may want to choose a softer contrast that adds a pop to the room without feeling overwhelming or too much. The value of a color can also provide a nice contrast, such as a deep blue against a soft blue. There are multiple ways to create contrast in the world of color, but it mostly depends on your goal for the space and the statement or mood you want to make. Talking with a designer and browsing inspiration galleries can help you define your home design goals.

A kitchen with white and blue cabinetry and glass front doors

How To Design Using Contrasting Colors?

Color is one of the best and most fun ways to bring any design to life and bring a part of you inside. As we mentioned, there are many ways to use contrasting colors in design.

Complete opposites on the color wheel
Monochromatic opposites
Warm and cool colors

Each of these allows you to create a contrast in a balanced way and forge a unified design that everyone can enjoy. Complete opposites are great for making statements, like using black and white in a bathroom. You can use a black bathtub or vanity as a focal point against white flooring or even black hardware on white cabinets in the kitchen. Monochromatic opposites are perfect for a unified look with a hint of fun, such as a gentle blue wall color paired with deep shades of blue in artwork hanging from it. This draws the eye naturally while creating harmony. Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow forge a bold contrast when mixed with cool colors like blue, purple, and green. Both warm and cool can also be joined by neutrals like black, white, and gray to make a statement. Some ways to create contrast in your design include:

Accent walls
Furniture
Cabinets
Decor pieces
Tile
Hardware
Window treatments
Area rugs

When it comes to contrasting colors, think outside the box and take the time to look through magazines, Pinterest, home design blogs, and sites like Houzz for inspiration for your new space. The fun of color is that it can be switched up, especially in areas like the living room and bedrooms.

The Benefits Of Using Contrasting Colors

Contrasting colors offer many benefits, and designers enjoy using them in multiple areas of the home, such as the kitchen, bathroom, home office, and family rooms.

Here are the pros of using contrasting colors:

It establishes a hierarchy in design and helps organize your space by highlighting what is important and creating a focal point, such as a kitchen island painted a bold color and surrounded by a softer color palette, such as white or gray. A monochromatic layout can seem somewhat dull. Using a few contrasting colors can add a spark to your space.
When you have a large space, things can get lost or feel swallowed up in the vast area. Contrasting colors can help create a sense of balance, such as a dark wall at one end. It tells the eye that this is a smaller space than it really is, and the same principle can be used to enlarge a space. Using lighter colors can make an area feel bigger and brighter.
Color is linked with your mood, and contrasting colors can improve it, like when adding pops of yellow to a space lacking natural light. Darker colors can create a warmer, cozier vibe, like blues and purples, which can make you feel safer and easier to relax.

While contrasting colors have their uses and benefits, there are a few things that should be avoided when using them, such as:

It is vital to balance when using contrasting colors. If you use too many, it can create confusion, disharmony in the space, and stress. Concentrate on a few areas, such as an accent wall, a kitchen island, fun artwork, tile flooring or backsplash, a bathroom vanity, or furnishings like a couch. These are great ways to accomplish a contrast in a balanced way.
Avoid using dull, deemed desaturated colors like browns and dull yellows. They are often linked with unpleasant things and should never be the main focus. However, brown shades found in nature, like wood tones, are excluded from this, as they are usually rich and vibrant and evoke a calming nature vibe.

Don’t be afraid to ask your designer questions and seek opinions. In the end, the choice is up to you, but there are benefits to looking at all your options.

Telling Your Story With Color

If you are looking for a design that adds some zest to your space, contrasting colors are for you. They have continued to stay trending for some time and show no signs of disappearing anytime soon. Whether you are looking for a pop of color in your kitchen or bathroom, we have you covered. Come visit our showroom, where we display tile, hardware, countertops, artwork, furnishings, and more. A good design tells your story and turns your house into a home. Are you ready to say to yours?

byJan Blanton/onJanuary 7, 2022/updatedJanuary 28, 2026/inDesign Notes

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