Choosing a Color Scheme: 60-30-10 Rule (2024)

If you’re stumped on how to choose hues for your interior color palette, look no further! This article will ease your uncertainty regarding selecting a color scheme. If you find yourself scrolling through Pinterest for hours on end, it’s time to consider the foolproof 60-30-10 rule. We’ve going to walk you through the design formula that will give your home a harmonious look. From wall art to furniture, this is how to incorporate the 60-30-10 rule. Let’s get started!

Interior Design Color Wheel: Explained

Before we break down the 60-30-10 rule, consider the colors you want to incorporate into your palette. A simple way to choose your ideal color scheme is by taking a look the classic color wheel. Complementary colors lie opposite of each other on the color wheel, making them ideal for adding contrast to your space. If you like a more uniform look, consider using colors that lie directly next to each other for a more monochromatic appearance. Even if you want to start with a 60% neutral color scheme, the color wheel can be helpful for selecting your perfect accent shades.

Pro Tip: Wall decor is a great way to experiment with color with little commitment. The beauty of wall art is that you can swap it out anytime. Another way to play with color before committing to a color palette is painting sample swatches on your wall to better visualize your color scheme.

Interior Color Palette Trends

Another way to determine the ideal color palette for your interior is by exploring trending tones. Post-pandemic, design trends are all about adding pops of bold, eye-catching colors. Brighten your space with accent hues like yellow, periwinkle, and teal. To avoid overwhelming your space, create an organic base with natural tones like sage green, olive, and other muted cool colors. The top design hubs have predicted the top trending colors for the upcoming year (see: Pantone’s Viva Magenta), if you’re looking for a foolproof way to create a contemporary interior. Once you’ve selected a few colors to experiment with, it’s time to learn how to balance your color scheme!

Discover inspiring interior design color palettes >>

So, What is the 60-30-10 Rule?

60-30-10 is a simple decorating rule to help you choose the best color scheme for your home. Color schemes are the most prominent component of home decor. Ranging from bold to bright, to subtle and neutral, you have an entire rainbow of colors to experiment with. This decorating rule suggests that you should cover your room with 60% of a dominant color, 30% of a secondary color, and 10% of an accent shade. It is all about maintaining the perfect balance of tones. Pick colors that mingle well with each other to create a subtle combo. Don’t go for colors that take over the entire color palette; instead, choose shades that will flow together and work in harmony.

Discover wall art for the 60-30-10 rule >>

Create a Gorgeous Color Palette

Dominant Color

The rule starts with filling your room with 60% of the main color. The dominant color is applied to the most visible objects in the room. As you enter a room, the first thing that grabs your attention is typically the walls. Therefore, the color you choose as your 60% shade should also be your wall color.
Other primary objects, like a couch in the living room, or the bed in the master bedroom, hold enough power to be dominant color prospects as well.

Secondary Color

Think of the secondary color as the supporting role in your space. The linens in the bedroom, curtains, area rugs, side chairs, and cushion sets on the couch play a supporting role in giving your home a stylish look. Therefore, these elements are excellent choices for the 30% shade.
When choosing the secondary color in your home, you want to ensure it blends well with the dominant color. The combination of colors should complement each other well and give a blended look.

Accent Shade

The remaining 10% of the decor formula is a splash of color that complements the dominant and secondary shade. Typically, accessories and decorations will take on this role. The candles on the dining table, a hanging pendant lamp in the bedroom, or a small rug in your study area can be perfect examples of how to accent a room with the 10% accent shade.
Another way of incorporating 10% of the golden formula is through artwork. While the walls stand dominant, let your wall art create balance and contrast with subtle shades. For instance, you can use thisButterfly Orchid wall artand watch the colors jump off the wall when subtly matched up with other accessories.

Browse wall art for the 60-30-10 design rule >>

The Best Rooms for the 60-30-10 Decorating Rule

You can apply the 60-30-10 decorating rule to any room in your home. However, highly trafficked areas are ideal for making the most out of this technique. Prioritize areas where guests frequent most often. For example, your entryway or dining room would benefit from a balanced color scheme.

60-30-10 Rule for Living Rooms

The most communal space in your home is undoubtedly the living room. You can’t go wrong with a 60-30-10 color palette in your main living space. Make sure the three colors you choose are representative of your personality, but also look appealing to a wide audience. It’s a delicate balance between selecting unique shades that pop, and creating a cozy, comfortable space. Wall art in your living room is a great way to add the 10% accent color, and you have much more freedom with this statement shade.

Explore wall art for the 60-30-10 color rule >>

Inspiring 60-30-10 Ideas

"A fairly popular combination of colors utilized today is 60% white (wall, rug, sofa), 30% brown (hardwood floor, wooden furniture, accent lounge chairs in leather), and 10% green (small and large indoor plants)." Says Yoko Chow,Interior Designer and Owner of Yoko Chow Design LLC, CA.

"This can be scientifically supported by biophilia – human’s innate affiliation with nature. One research by Tsunetsugu et al. reflects the psychological and physiological impact of different ratios of the natural material and concluded a moderate ratio (45%, in the study) works the best. Wood - known as the most reasonable natural material we incorporate into interior scenes today, accounts for the significant portion of this ratio, and may be combined with greenery, leather upholstery, straw baskets, etc. It is understandable why this option has been well accepted by the mass audience for its natural tranquil appeal."

The Bold Combination

"A bolder option that works for homeowners seeking a sophisticated look is 60% shades of greige (wall paint, cabinets, flooring), 30% black (countertops, lighting fixtures, chairs, appliances) and 10% gold (hardware including legs of chairs and handles, outlet covers, decor),"Yoko explains.

Find the top wall art for interior design color theory >>

Dare to Get Creative

Instead of picking variable colors, consider a monochrome look by choosing shades of the same color as dominant, secondary, and accent tones. Different shades of the same color will create a seamless flow in your room and results in a stylish and subtle look.
Alternatively, you can do opposites! Decorating your home inblack and whitewith a splash of an accent color creates a refined combination.
Still stuck? You can always just start with your favorite color. Love pastels? A 60-30-10 combination of pastels will give you a fresh, cheery room. Obsessed with red? Be bold and incorporate a rusty red look with white and orange shades for a room full of energy. The opportunities are endless.

Browse our complete collection of wall art >>

Rules are Meant to be Broken

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the 60-30-10 rule according to your own unique style. If you want to include other shades, instead of 30%, you can break it into 15% + 15% for a personalized decor experience. But be careful and choose your colors wisely. Your room should reflect a unity of balanced shades, not a hodgepodge of colors.

Finish your space with 60-30-10 friendly wall art >>

Unique Ways to Incorporate the 60-30-10 Rule

There are unique ways to incorporate this rule beyond simply applying it to paint colors and furnishings. One creative approach is to use the 60 30 10 rule to guide the use of patterns and textures in a space. For example, you could use a large-scale pattern for 60% of a room, such as a wallpapered accent wall or a bold area rug. The next 30% could be dedicated to smaller, complementary patterns, such as throw pillows or window treatments. Finally, the remaining 10% could be a pop of texture, such as a plush faux fur throw or a metallic accent. By applying the 60 30 10 rule to patterns and textures, you can create a layered and visually interesting space that incorporates a variety of design elements while still maintaining a cohesive color scheme.

Shop for wall decor by color scheme >>

Color Theory for Interior Design: A Summary

Whether you are an expert interior designer or a DIY novice, the 60-30-10 rule is a valuable tool to guide you through choosing a balanced color scheme for your home. There’s no need for a calculator; follow your heart and your own personal style to reach a fresh and unique home decor experience. Visit our design inspiration blog for more tips and tricks!

See our inspiring collection of wall art by color >>

Share This Story

Choosing a Color Scheme: 60-30-10 Rule (2024)

FAQs

Choosing a Color Scheme: 60-30-10 Rule? ›

Ranging from bold to bright, to subtle and neutral, you have an entire rainbow of colors to experiment with. This decorating rule suggests that you should cover your room with 60% of a dominant color, 30% of a secondary color, and 10% of an accent shade.

What is the 60-30-10 rule in color design? ›

What is the 60-30-10 Rule? It's a classic decor rule that helps create a color palette for a space. It states that 60% of the room should be a dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10% should be an accent.

What is the 60-30-10 rule in branding? ›

A simple way to create your brand's color scheme is 60-30-10 rule. According to this rule, you need to choose three different colors and use them in proportions of 60%, 30%, and 10%.

What is the 60 20 10 rule colour? ›

It consists of three parts: Primary color: This is the main color you use in the room, and occupies 60% of the color palette. Secondary color: This constitutes 30% of the color palette. Accent color: This is usually a bold hue, taking up 10% of the color scheme.

What is the 70 20 10 color rule? ›

Use Three Colors: The 70/20/10 Rule: This rule of three is as easy as choosing one neutral color, one rich color, and one accent color. To make this work, use the lightest color for 70 percent of the room's décor, the second lightest for 20 percent, and the boldest for 10 percent.

What is the 60/30/10 rule for outfits? ›

This idea can be translated to the relatable cohesion of planning a wardrobe outfit: 60 percent is the main outfit color, 30 percent provides visual interest like shoes, neck tie or handbag, 10 percent like the jewelry that provides the sparkling details.

What is 60-30-10 color grading? ›

Breaking it down, it recommends dedicating 60% of the color scheme to a dominant color, 30% to a secondary color, and the remaining 10% to accent colors. Embarking on the design journey, the dominant color takes center stage, playing a pivotal role in establishing the interface's tone and mood.

What is the Golden Rule 60 30 10? ›

This is the rule: 60% main color + 30% secondary color + 10% accent color. 60% of the main color of the room includes the walls, the sofa, the main color of the carpet of your area, and maybe even your closets or tiles (if we are talking about kitchens and bathrooms).

What is the 60 30 10 content rule? ›

According to SnapRetail, the 60/30/10 rule states that 60% of the posts you create should be engaging content that gets people reacting, commenting and sharing, 30 percent should be shared content, and 10 percent should be promoting your products and services, sales, events, etc.

What is the 60 30 10 rule in psychology? ›

Well, there's a simple color application rule that can help you overcome your fear of colors: the 60 30 10 rule. Simply put, it involves dividing a color scheme into three different colors, with proportions of 60%, 30%, and 10% respectively. This straightforward rule can help you rediscover your innate sense of color.

What is the golden rule of color? ›

- Use the golden ratio to choose your colors. You can use the ratio of 1.618:1 to create a color palette that is pleasing to the eye. For example, you can use a base color and multiply or divide it by 1.618 to get complementary or analogous colors.

What is the 80 20 color rule? ›

When choosing colors for your room, use the 80/20 rule to create a balanced look. Choose neutral colors for 80% of the room and use pops of color for the remaining 20%.

Does white count as a color in the 60 30 10 rule? ›

The 60-30-10 rule can be applied to a black-and-white color scheme using different shades of gray to create balance and visual interest. In this approach, different shades of gray are primary and secondary colors. At the same time, white serves as the accent color, creating a cohesive and visually appealing space.

What is the 6 3 1 color rule? ›

The Golden Ratio of Colors.

It can be applied to many compositional elements in UI design. While using the 6:3:1 Rule, designers have to choose a dominant color and use it in 60% of the space, a secondary color in 30% and a final color in the remaining 10%.

What is the 60 40 10 color rule? ›

To put it simply, this rule says that the dominant/primary colour should take up 60% of your design, the secondary colour should take up 30%, while an accent colour should take up 10% of your design.

What are the 4 color rules? ›

All Interior Design Lovers Should Understand These Four Colour...
  • Rule No. 1: The 60-30-10 Rule.
  • A Simple 'How To”
  • An Example of the 60-30-10 Rule.
  • Rule No. 2: Warm Colours vs Cool Colours.
  • Rule No. 3: Complementary Colour Schemes.
  • Rule No. 4: The Analogous Colour Scheme.
Feb 10, 2021

What is 30 70 design rule? ›

In design, it often refers to a colour rule where 70% of space uses a dominant colour, and 30% a secondary colour, ensuring balance and visual appeal.

What is the 80 20 rule colors? ›

When choosing colors for your room, use the 80/20 rule to create a balanced look. Choose neutral colors for 80% of the room and use pops of color for the remaining 20%.

What is the 60-30-10 rule in exterior design? ›

A matter of balance

The 60-30-10 rule aims to balance the colors used in an area with a pleasant way, assigning percentages to the amount of color you use, This is the rule: 60% main color + 30% secondary color + 10% accent color.

What is the 60 40 rule in design? ›

The “60/40 rule” here comes down to furniture and floor space. Instead of overstuffing a room with pieces or going way too minimal, you should aim for about 60% of the room to be filled with furniture and 40% of it to be clear to give your eye a visual break from stuff.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 5375

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.