Understanding colour basics
From temperature and tone to lighting and hue — there’s more to colour than meets the eye. Master the basics and learn the intricacies to perfect colour combinations in your home. Artwork: Peering in (Canopy) by Clare Brodie. Colours featured: Dulux Pencarrow and Te Aroha (walls).
Temperature
Colour temperature is all about warm and cold tones. The colours you decorate your home with can not only impact the mood of your overall space, but also its perception making it look bigger or smaller.
Warm
Cool
Tone
Tone is what we refer to when describing the lightness or darkness of a colour. Put simply, lighter tones have more white while darker tones have more black. Light tones are fresh and airy, and make a room appear larger, where dark tones create a lush, opulent space with distinct sophistication.
Hue
Hue is the colour group or collection recognisable to the eye, for example greens or blues. We can break hue down into three levels: primary (red, blue and yellow), secondary (mixes of two primary colours), or tertiary (combination of primary and secondary colours). Colour schemes can also include colours across different hue groups to help you achieve unique combinations.
Read more about creating a colour scheme here.
Chroma
Lighting
Have you ever noticed that your room looks and feels different at various times of the day? That’s because light — both natural and artificial — has a significant impact on the way colours are represented. Rooms that see lots of natural light work with whites, including cooler whites as well as neutral tones and warm and cool colours. However, if you are looking to add brightness to a darker room, explore warmer whites and neutrals or warm colours such as yellow and orange.
Read more about colour in the home here.
Once you’ve chosen your colour — don’t risk the result. The only way to bring your favourite hues to life at home is to mix Dulux colours with Dulux paint products. Our Dulux Wash&Wear® formula ensures your walls stay looking freshly painted for longer with stain resistance, hiding power and toughness.
