Your Personal Colour Palette

A vase of flowers sits on a small, square bedside table next to an open window framed by a gauzy white curtain and a light blue wall. A vase of flowers sits on a small, square bedside table next to an open window framed by a gauzy white curtain and a light blue wall.
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Your Personal Colour Palette

Your personal colour palette already exists. Embrace it.

When it comes to choosing colour, it’s actually quite simple: trust your instincts. Your sense of colour confidence comes from taking a close look at what colours you already gravitate towards – and love being surrounded by – then embracing the design possibilities they present.
Dark wood chair with white linen draped over the back in a light gray room with white window.

Take a Fresh Look

What are the colours you live and breathe in your everyday life? Step into your closet and pull out the clothing that shares common hues and shades. Spread them out and observe your personal colour inclination. Take this theory further by thinking back to other prominent colours in your life… cars, pets, tableware – there is no ‘wrong’ answer. Note the colours that move you emotionally.
Muted pink walls with a white fireplace mantel holding a vase of matching pink flowers.
“Use your daily colour choices as guidance for paint colours.”
—
ANDREA MAGNO
COLOUR & DESIGN EXPERT

Explore More

Once you’ve established colours that organically resonate with you, visit your local paint store. Ask a colour expert to find the colours you love in a fan deck, and then spend some time exploring colours that are in that colour family. Next, consider what colours contrast with your core colour picks: these are the accent colours that will help define your space in unique and interesting ways.
An eclectic selection of mementos, art and reminders are pinned against a light blue, wood-panelled wall over a sawhorse table.

Blend or Boast

Do you want to stand out? Or do you want to blend in? Think about your answer when it comes to establishing colour schemes for your home. Go for the more subdued shades in the personal colour palette you’ve developed if you prefer taking a more understated approach to design. If you want to go bolder, choose the more saturated hues from your personal colour palette.
Blue rocking chairs show off nicely on this covered porch with a stained wood floor, greige siding and multiple light green trimmed windows.

Look at Locales

If you’re looking for something beyond your immediate sphere to inspire your personal colour palette, look no further than your surroundings. Geography can help formulate colour palettes that personally resonate – Nova Scotia offers choppy water, driftwood and seagrass, while Palm Springs delivers cobalt blue sky, palm leaf green and desert sand. Whether it’s where you live – or someplace you love to visit – consider locales you love as personal palette inspiration.