Colour schemes that actually work

Colour goes wrong for two reasons: people test paint in the wrong light, and they treat each room as a separate project.

Pick a small palette for the whole home, use it in different proportions room to room, and always test on more than one wall.

We don't sell furniture - we make prints, postcards, pin badges and cards in house, printed in the UK. So this is a straight guide, plus the print and the card that go with it.

The 60-30-10 rule

• 60% dominant colour - walls, big rugs, the largest surfaces.
• 30% secondary - sofa, curtains, a painted piece of furniture.
• 10% accent - cushions, prints, ceramics, the things you swap cheaply.
• Keep the 10% as the only thing that changes seasonally.
• If a room feels unresolved, it's usually because the 30% is missing entirely.

Testing paint properly

• Paint two coats on A3 lining paper, not straight on the wall.
• Move the sheets to each wall and look at them morning, afternoon and under lamps.
• Live with them for at least three days before ordering.
• Check the colour against your flooring and your largest piece of furniture, both of which you're keeping.
• Never choose from a phone screen or a printed chart.

North facing versus south facing

• North facing rooms get cool, flat light - warm the colour up or lean into a deep, cosy shade.
• Cold greys in a north facing room are the single most common regret.
• South facing rooms take cooler colours easily, and can carry stronger shades.
• East facing: bright mornings, flat evenings - warm neutrals cope with both.
• West facing: golden late light, so avoid anything already very yellow.

Linking rooms together

• One consistent woodwork and ceiling colour throughout is the cheapest way to make a home feel coherent.
• Carry the accent colour from one room into the next in a smaller dose.
• Hallways should be the calmest colour in the house, because you see every doorway at once.
• Repeat one material - brass, oak, black metal - rather than repeating a colour exactly.
• Stand in each doorway and look through. That view is what people actually see.

Shop cards

Prints for the wall

Designed in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Never paint a test patch straight onto the wall.
• Same woodwork colour throughout the house.
• Keep the hallway the calmest colour you own.
• Check every colour against the floor you're keeping.

Where to shop next

• How to style a living room on a budget
• How to hang wall art properly
• How to build a gallery wall
• Choosing furniture for a small flat
• First home checklist: what to buy first
• Lighting a room properly
• Seasonal decor without the clutter
• Posters and prints
• Postcards
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

What is the 60-30-10 rule in interior design?

60% dominant colour on the largest surfaces, 30% secondary on furniture and curtains, and 10% accent in cushions, prints and small objects.

How do you test paint colours properly?

Two coats on A3 lining paper, moved around every wall, and checked in morning light, afternoon light and lamplight over three days.

What colours suit a north facing room?

Warmer shades, or a deliberately deep, cosy colour. Cool greys and stark whites tend to look flat and grubby in northern light.