How to Connect Rooms with Cohesive Color Flow

Adjoining rooms painted in colors that clash can have an undesirable effect. This project will help you understand how you can use color effectively to create harmony in your home. If you’re not sure what colors you want to use, look at design and decorating magazines, websites and books for ideas. View the adjoining spaces together, not as separate entities, when you’re planning out your design. The sample allows you to paint a small space and then live with different options for a few days before making a final decision. Remember, you need to keep your color scheme in mind not only for how it will flow into adjacent spaces, but also for how it works in each room.

Monochromatic schemes use shades of the same color to create a sophisticated and elegant look. Neutral colors in the brown or gray family are a good choice.

Apply different shades or values of that color throughout the areas of your home that you are trying to connect.

Add interest to different rooms by using a variety of textures on the floor, walls and furniture.

Different textures create great visual interest in a monochromatic color scheme. Keep the strength of the colors similar for a pleasing effect that bridges rooms.

Complementary colors enhance the temperature of each other, which adds interest and energy to your décor. Use colors that strongly contrast one another (but don’t clash) to create a stimulating, lively environment. If the prominent color seems too vivid, you can blend in a touch of gray or white to subdue it. Take into consideration the various wood finishes present in your rooms, such as on trim, when planning. Always check how the colors you choose look in both natural and incandescent light, during both the day and night. The smoothest transition is between two colors or hues that are closely related and are similar in tone (brightness or darkness).

When using different hues of the same color, paint in the lighter shade in the room that gets the most natural light for an open feeling. Use a shade of white paint on trim and baseboards that matches well with the wall colors in all the rooms that connect to produce a cohesive effect. Remember you can't always jump straight into painting — do the prep work first.