Color Scheme

Alcantara, Eugenio, Espedido, Focasan, Gamelo

Color and
Architecture
The color is light, beauty and harmony, but also mental balance,
comfort and excitement.
Colors in Architecture are
necessary to embellish, highlight, illuminate and separate
spaces … and also to transmit sensations and comfort.
An example: The color of a building is like the presentation of a
product and acts as a stimulus care to create a first impression,
favorable or negative. The interior colors influences our body,
character, behavior and mood.
The choice of color is therefore based on static
Color and Architecture
The color is light, beauty and harmony, but also mental balance, comfort and
excitement.
Colors in Architecture are necessary to embellish, highlight, illuminate and separate
spaces … and also to transmit sensations and comfort.
An example: The color of a building is like the presentation of a product and acts as a
stimulus care to create a first impression, favorable or negative. The interior colors
influences our body, character, behavior and mood.
The choice of color is therefore based on static
Psychology of Color
Colors cause perceptions that we must understand:

The white sunlight decomposes in colors: red, , orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. These colors are divided into primary or fundamental colors
(yellow, red and blue ) and secondary colors(orange, green and purple ) arising as a mixture of the above colors.
The colors are also classified in warm colors (red orange , yellow) and cold colors (blue, green , purple )

Each color has on the person a triple action:

– Impress, draws attention .
– Causes a reaction or emotion, as each color is capable of expression.
– Builds, because each color has its own meaning and acquires a symbolic value.

Warm colors are considered STIMULANTS, CHEERFUL ands EXCITING and cold colors are considered CALM, SEDATIVES and in some cases
even DEPRESSING.

Light warm colors suggest FINESSE, FEMININITY, KIDNESS, HOSPITALITY and JOY. Dark warm colors suggest: VITALITY, POWER,
WEALTH and STABILITY.

Light cold colors express FRESH, DELICACY, REST, SOLITUDE, HOPE and PEACE. Dark cold colors express MELANCHOLY, DEPRESSION,
HEAVINESS and MYSTERY.
COLOR SCHEMES AND HARMONIES
• The result of turning color combinations in to a set of rules or to create a mood or set a tone for an
interior or architecture palette.
• Based on the color theory (color wheel), the designer can creatively select and organize color in
harmonious combinations.
• Color schemes are ways colors are put together in an intelligent way.
COLOR PALETTE
Is a selection of colors chosen by the designer to be used on a projector all finish
work.
• There are eight "classic” combinations or schemes of color:
1. Dominant color scheme.
2. Monochromatic.
3. Analogous.
4. Complementary.
5. Split – complementary.
6. Triadic.
7. Tetrads(rectangular and square).
8. Neutral colors(Archromatic) scheme.
PRINCIPLES TO
ARRANGE COLOR
SCHEMES
One way of thinking or planning color in any color
scheme is to think in terms of relative
expansiveness, means the proportion of the use of
different colors.
3 color types
1. The Dominant (the main) color : proportionally the largest expanse of
color, It’s defines the communicative values of the combination. e.g. the ground.

2. The Subdominant Color : This is a visually weak, or subordinate color.

It should contrast or compliment the dominant color .the second largest expanse
of color after the dominant.

3. The Accent or (Highlight) color: the color with the smallest relative
area . The Accent color can be two things: either sympathetic to the Subdominant
or Dominant color, or it can be visually strong and striking, therefore appear to
be competing with the dominant color. This can provide tension within a
combination.
EIGHT CLASSIC
TYPES OF
COLOR SCHEME
1. Dominant Color Scheme
• It is considered as the easiest color scheme.

• In order to design dominant color scheme, it should use a black and

white color, plus a single key color to highlight important information
such as headings, or emphasized texts, or to include graphical elements
like rules or background shading, or to define structural elements for
decorative purposes.

• A color key or a dominant color can heighten psychological as well as

composition impact.
Perhaps the most daring employment of color in
architecture and design is the overwhelming use of a
single color , allowing that color to protagonize and at
times dominate the space .
• But it is one that requires careful attention to how form , texture
and proportion interplay with the color to create a space with the
desired ambiance.
• Different protagonizing color have vastly different effect on a
room.
• With red and pink generally warming it and creating a cozy
atmosphere , green adding a cool design focused edge and
overwhelming , blue a futuristic aspect.
2. Monochromatic Color Scheme
The monochromatic is perhaps the simplest and most basic
of the color schemes , after dominant scheme .
• Composition using tints and shades of only one hue.
• Easiest scheme to balance visually and it works to create a
cohesive design , however but lacks high impact of other
more contrasting and complicated schemes.
• have a soothing effect; but they can
become boring.
• Monochromatic schemes can make a
room appear larger or smaller.
3. Analogous Color Scheme
• Analogous colors scheme is 3-5 colors that sit next
to each other on the color wheel.
• This combination of colors creates unity and
harmony , tend to look pleasant together
because they are closely related.
• Make sure you have enough contrast when
choosing an analogous color scheme.
• Choose one color to dominate, a second to
support. The third color is used (along with
black, white or gray) as an accent.
The analogous color scheme here
(blue, green, and blue green) make
up this space. The large furniture,
dark hues, and low intensity make
this room feel cool and small.
• Orange, yellow-orange, and yellow
are an example of analogous
scheme colors .
• The bold, rich colors of this sitting
area create a total environment.
The whole space becomes one
large furniture piece.
4. Complementary Color Scheme
• Colors that are opposites on the color wheel that, when
combined , it will neutralize (or reduce the Chroma
(brightness or intensity) of its opposite.
• Because they are opposites, they tend to look especially
lively when used together.
• When complementary colors put together, each color
looks more noticeable.
• Scheme provides strong visual contrast and demands
attention. For best use, de-saturate the cool colors rather
than the warm ones.
• Red and green are an example of complementary colors
• In order to make a successful complementary
color scheme , we have to use no more than
three colors (different in tones and values), and
apply them according to the 60-30-10 rule.
5. Split-Complementary Color Scheme
Split–complementary is a variation of the complementary color scheme.
• This color scheme uses a hue and the two colors
that lay on the either side of its compliment on the color wheel.
• Split complementary colors provides high degree of contrast, but are not as
extreme as complementary colors, which result in greater harmony.
• The Hardest scheme to balance , For best results, use one warm color with a
range of cool colors and avoid desaturated warm colors.
(Blue –Red and Green) ,The
most powerful combination in
Split-complementary scheme
uses full intensity colors for
startling drama.
6. Triadic Color Scheme
A color scheme using three colors equally distance from each
other on the color wheel.
• Triadic color schemes harmonies are tend to be quite vibrant
, even if using pale or unsaturated versions of hues.
• Provides strong visual contrast while adding balance and
richness (retaining harmony).
• These combinations can produce some of the most diverse
color mixtures of all the color schemes.
• For best use, choose one color to be used in larger
amounts than others ; experiment with color saturation
and value .
• The primary colors red ,yellow and blue form the most
common triad mixture.
• Primary colors can be very stimulating in a child’s
environment as children respond to strong colors in their
early stages of development.
• For an adult, to live with nothing but primary colors for a
long time could become tedious (boring).
• But it can be a successful combination color for Adults
(red , blue and yellow ) unless, using
different values (tints and shades) of them .
7. Tetrad Colors (Rectangular) Color
Scheme
This is the richest of all , because it offers plenty of possibilities
for variation ; utilizes four colors arranged into two complementary color pairs.
• Can be hard to harmonize; if all four colors are used in equal
amounts.
• This scheme risks looking unbalanced and chaotic, so best if
you let one color be dominant and it should be sure to pay
attention to the balance between warm and cool colors in the
design.
• Tetrads are often used in fabric, wallpaper, or other decorative
design where the colors can be interlaced together for balance and harmony.
This unusual color scheme
combines red and green
complements with blue and
wood tone orange complements.
The color of the furnishings is
simple so that it does not
compete with the other colors.
8. Tetrad Colors (Square) Color Schemes
The square color scheme to similar to the rectangular
scheme, but with all four colors spaced evenly around the
color circle.
• This scheme offers the greatest number of possible color
combinations-which can be a problem.
• For good harmony. Be careful when using square
color schemes.
8. Neutral (Achromatic) Color Scheme
• A simple color scheme can be created by using
black ,white, gray, off-white, beige , or brown.
They are sometimes called “earth tones.”
• Interiors with neutral schemes tend to visually
expand a space and make good backgrounds for
colorful furniture ,art work ,and accessories.
 Neutral backgrounds are advantageous in that
they are flexible; it is easy to change color
schemes through varying accent colors, rather
than changing wall and floor colors.

The building elements of this interior are done

in an off- white color scheme, with color used
as accents for furniture, carpets, and paint.
 Small amounts of color are sometimes
added to neutral color schemes to give
the room more interest.
• This scheme is called an
accented neutral.
Thanks for listening!