
How Do You Choose The Right Art For Your Home? The Power Of Color.
Susan ClarkShare
Buying art is often one of the last steps in decorating your home—but it’s also one of the most exciting. It’s that final, personal touch that brings a room to life and makes it feel truly yours.
But let’s be real—choosing the right piece can feel overwhelming.Where do you even start?
In this post, I’m diving into one key element that can make or break your choice: COLOR. We’ll explore how color theory can help you find art that fits your space, sets the right mood, and ties everything together beautifully. Plus, I’ll share a few personal tips from decorating my own home!
🧠 First Things First: Understanding Color Theory
Color is powerful. It influences how we feel in a space—and how we connect with it. When choosing art for your home, color is often the key to making it feel right.
Let’s break down color groupings in design:
- Monochromatic: This scheme uses variations of a single hue, including tints (adding white), shades (adding black), and tones (adding gray).
- Analogous: These colors are adjacent to each other on the color wheel, creating a harmonious and natural feel.
- Complementary: This scheme uses colors opposite each other on the color wheel, creating a high-contrast and energetic look.
- Split-Complementary: A variation of complementary, it uses a base color and the two colors on either side of its complement.
- Triadic: This scheme utilizes three colors evenly spaced around the color wheel, offering a balanced contrast and harmony.
- Tetradic (Square/Rectangular): This scheme uses four colors, two pairs of complementary hues, arranged in a rectangle or square on the color wheel.
Here’s how I applied this in my own space:
My living room walls are a deep, moody blue-green. Since I am starting off with that as a base, I looked at all of the different color groupings and chose one that fit the kind of mood I want. I ended up deciding that using a yellow and purple would suit my space best. Don't know what kind of mood you want? Learn the meaning behind colors below.
💭 The Mood & Meaning Behind Colors
Colors don’t just change the look of your room—they shift the energy.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what certain colors commonly represent:
🔴 Red | Passion and Danger
🟠 Orange | Creativity and Energy
🟡 Yellow | Happiness and Activity
🟢 Green | Nature and Healing
🔵 Blue | Calmness and Wisdom
🟣 Purple | Luxury and Ambition
⚫ Black | Power and Death
⚪ White | Purity and Peace
Please note that these meanings can change from the temperature of the color to different cultures around the world and even to different individuals.
For my living room, I wanted to create a space that was both relaxing and vibrant. Consider the colors I mentioned earlier. Green is a healing color and the deep blue-green of my walls remind me of a pine forest. While the yellow adds some vibrance and is like a setting sun.
Don't like the bright colors of my space? Consider toning it down by adding white or black. For example: My space could be changed-yet similar-by making the walls a sage and the curtains a light brown.
Those colors still look good together yet you don't have to have such a vibrant look.
Decide what kind of mood you want, and choose the colors to fit!
📐 The 60-30-10 Rule: Your Secret to Balanced Color
One of my favorite interior design tips is the 60-30-10 rule. It’s a super simple way to make sure your space feels balanced and intentional. It will also help you narrow down what colors the art you hang on the wall should be.
- 60% of the room is your dominant color (think walls, big furniture).
- 30% is your secondary color (like your curtains, a rug, or wood tones).
- 10% is your accent color—and this is where art usually shines.
For me:
- 60% = dark green walls
- 30% = yellow curtains and warm wood tones
- 10% = purple accents (like art and decor)
Not everything has to fit perfectly in this ratio, but using it as a guide can help you stay on track without feeling restricted. I also like to throw in neutrals like white and brown to create space between the bolder colors.
🖼 Putting It All Together
Ready to choose art for your space?
Start by envisioning the mood you want to evoke. Then choose a color that matches. From there build out a palette with the color groupings. Finally, Put it into the 60-30-10 rule.
Remember that your art will most likely fit into the 10%. This is the color you will want to focus on when selecting art. This color will help balance out the other colors in your space.
If your walls are white, use that as your 60% then build out with colors that match your vibe.
And remember—rules are made to be broken. If you find a piece that doesn’t fit your palette perfectly but you love it, get it. Your home should reflect you—not just a formula.
💬 Final Thoughts
Choosing art should be fun—not stressful. By understanding color theory, tapping into the emotion of color, and following the 60-30-10 rule, you’ll be able to create a space that feels just right.
If you're feeling inspired but still unsure where to start, I've got you covered! I create art designed with color theory and mood in mind—pieces that aren’t just beautiful, but intentional.
Whether you’re decorating a cozy nook or a bold statement wall, there’s a piece in my collection that can help bring your vision to life.
👉 Browse our growing gallery or consider ordering a commission and find the artwork that feels just right for your home.
Your walls are waiting. 🖼✨