IN THIS POST
– What is a Monochromatic Colour Scheme?
– Benefits of Monochromatic Home Interior
– How to Create Monochromatic Interior
Choosing the right colour palette for your home can be rather overwhelming for two main reasons. First, the sheer amount of options available in the market will leave anyone scratching their head in confusion. Secondly, picking the wrong hue might clash with the rest of your décor, ultimately creating a chaotic and confusing ambience. If you don’t want to play safe with strictly neutral tones but are also not ready to try some daring shades, creating a monochromatic home interior might be the best option for you.
A monochromatic colour scheme does not only look clean and modern, but it allows you to be creative and experiment with a variety of different design options. This trend works well for those who prefer minimalist, modern or contemporary style. With the right mix of interior design juxtapositions, a monochromatic theme can make your décor look sophisticated, spacious, alluring and luxe.
Let’s find out a bit more about the monochromatic design scheme and why it has become so popular before delving into ways to create it for your home.
What is a Monochromatic Colour Scheme?
Monochromatic home interior translates to having a one-colour design scheme. However, that is just a literal translation. In the world of interior design, a monochromatic colour scheme means using the same hue throughout your home.
Now, you may be wondering if using one-colour through all the elements would make your home look monotonous and boring. The truth is while this colour scheme is called monochromatic, we use different shades, tones and tints of the chosen hue to decorate the space along with some neutral. For example, if you choose navy blue as your main colour, you can use various shades of blue as well as whites, browns and blacks in your floors, carpets, wall paint, furniture, artwork, and more. You are also advised to use bolder colours to build contrast. This means if you have chosen a grey colour scheme with white and black furnishings for your home, adding a few colourful accessories such as lamps and throw pillows can enhance your décor and keep it from looking monotonous.
Using variations of a single colour with a few different accents not only gives your home a sleek and minimalistic appearance but also creates a soothing ambience.
For the purpose of clarification, the term ‘tint’ is used after white has been added to the shared undertone or the chosen colour. Meanwhile, the term ‘shade’ is used for colour after black has been added to it. Meanwhile, a ‘tone’ means that grey has been added to the selected hue.
Benefits of Monochromatic Home Interior
Here are some of the benefits of monochromatic interior design:
- A single-coloured theme can make your space look and feel bigger than it actually is
- Decorating your home is much easier when you only have to choose from a limited range of hues
- Choosing monochromatic interior décor will make it easy to select which colours to use for each part of your home
- Selecting furnishing and decorative pieces of varying shades from the same colour will ensure your theme looks cohesive and well-balanced
How to Create a Monochromatic Design Scheme?
If you don’t want to paint your house plain white but also have an affinity for simplicity at the same time, then a monochromatic colour scheme will make your life easier.
Here is how you can incorporate this colour palette into your home:
- Choose a base colour
- Begin from the ground up
- Develop a mood
- Prioritize placement
- Get creative with accents
Let’s discuss these monochromatic design ideas in further detail.
Choose a Base Colour
When it comes to designing a monochromatic look, you need to start by picking a base colour. Contrary to popular opinion, your options are not limited to white and neutrals. You can choose pretty much any colour you like. However, to make furniture and home accessories shopping a little easier, most interior design experts suggest choosing either a primary, secondary or tertiary colour as your base. Though there is no hard and fast rule regarding this.
For a monochromatic colour palette, you can utilize as many as three colours from the same family in order to create a balanced look. This includes your base shade, a shade lighter than your base shade and another that is a little darker.
Here is a beginner’s guide for painting home interiors and tips on how to choose the best paint finishes for your house that you may come handy.
Begin From the Ground Up
You must start decorating your home from the ground up. It is important to create the foundation by using the flooring or the carpet as your starting point. You can then use it to set the tone for the rest of the space.
To put it simply, if you have chosen blue as your base colour, you must purchase a carpet with a blue base. Then, deconstruct the colours present in the carpet and spread them around the place in the form of furnishing, accessories and decorative pieces. In case you have tile or wooden flooring, you can choose the biggest piece of furniture in the room, such as the couch or the dining table, as your foundation to create a monochromatic design scheme.
Whichever item is chosen as the foundation of your monochromatic home interior must be close to your base colour.
In case you are unsure about the flooring, here are some of the best flooring options for every budget in Pakistan.
Develop a Mood
Creating a mood is the next step in building a monochromatic interior décor.
After you have picked the right shade of colour for your flooring, you can begin building upon it. Most experts suggest using the softer shades on large surfaces like the walls and the ceiling. On the other hand, brighter tones can be utilized in smaller areas that you would like to stand out.
At this stage, you must also pick the style of décor that fits your home the best. If your base colour is white or neutral, you should consider opting for a modern style of furniture as it features clean lines, smooth surfaces and neutral tones. Meanwhile, if you have picked a brighter colour from your monochromatic home décor, choosing contemporary style might be your best bet. This style of furniture has smooth curves, sleek appearance and is available in a wide variety of colours to match your theme.
If you are looking for monochromatic bedroom ideas, take a look at our guide on popular bedroom furniture designs to understand the differences between each style.
Once you have chosen the style of your furnishing, you can start looking for pieces that will create a harmonious and cohesive décor with soothing sensibility and functionality.
Prioritize Placement
Placement is the key to pulling off monochromatic interior design.
For monochromatic family rooms, you can either buy a couch that is the same shade as your base hue or choose a variation with similar undertones. For instance, if your base colour is grey, you can use different shades of blue with grey undertones to decorate your home. In this case, you can opt for a blue couch and patterned throw pillows in various shades of white, grey and browns. Pair it up with a simple brown or white coffee table and add a few potted plants around the place to break up the neutral theme.
Similarly, if you choose a dark colour like purple as your base shade, you can incorporate chrome or brass accents along with mauve and lavender furnishing to blend all of the elements together. Mirrors can also be a great addition to the monochromatic interiors.
Mixing a series of similar tints and shades throughout a monochromatic room is not only more practical and convenient but using calmer shades on walls and ceilings allow you to use the bolder variations of your chosen colour for furnishings and smaller accents.
Get Creative with Accents
Most importantly, you must always aim for contrast. Monochromatic colour schemes give you the freedom to play with various tones, tints, shades, textures, materials and finishes. You can even incorporate high-gloss surfaces in your décor to make your home look luxurious. The trick here is to understand which colours and textures complement your chosen palette without making your décor look monotonous or muted.
For monochromatic home interiors, most designers prefer utilizing the same hue and undertone throughout the space. However, you can always try other variations or create contrast with bolder colours. This is especially true for accents, accessories and decorative pieces.
To find the complementary colours for your monochromatic design, look at your base colour and find hues with the same undertones. This will make your home décor seem cohesive and effortlessly beautiful.
You can also add colour to a monochromatic room by adding a few plants, choosing patterned window treatments in varying shades, etc.
To conclude, opting for a monochromatic colour scheme can be a great idea – if you manage to pull it off correctly. However, decorating your home is all about experimenting with different elements until you find the ones that fit the best. Therefore, you shouldn’t be worried about nailing the look at your first attempt.
Here are some tips on how to keep your minimalist décor from looking boring. On the other hand, if you prefer a vibrant palette with luxe accents and comfy furnishing, our guide on the basics of maximalist décor might help you out.
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