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You’ve carefully and lovingly selected your color palette for the space you’re decorating, but now you’re faced with a much harder task: figuring out exactly how to use these colors without doing too little or too much.
Whether you gravitate toward soothing neutrals or bold colors, the 60-30-10 color rule can help bring your color palette to life. In this guide, we’ll break down 60-30-10 color rule interior design principles, help you put them into practice and explore different color palette ideas to help you see your own space in a whole new hue.
The 60-30-10 color rule is a simple decorating formula for creating a balanced color scheme in an interior space. The idea is to choose three colors and give each one a role: your dominant color fills about 60% of the room, your secondary color takes up about 30% and your accent color adds the final 10%.
And while there’s some math in the name, no calculator is required. The percentages are simply a visual guide you can use when choosing everything from paint and furniture to rugs, artwork and décor.
This is the main color you’ve chosen for a space. Consider this color the backdrop of your room, since it will take up the most visual space. These can be the paint colors you use for your walls, big area rugs, the largest pieces of furniture and so on. If you’re going with a bold choice, like black walls, the secondary and accent colors will be used to balance out the dramatic backdrop.
This is a color that supports your dominant color and should be used half as much as the dominant color. This color may be used for an accent wall, smaller pieces of furniture, window treatments, etc.
This is the fun “pop”! An accent color is used the least but is distributed throughout the room in an intentional, balanced way. You may incorporate this color through items like wall art, throw pillows and small decor pieces.
Note: While this rule may rely on a numerical formula, don’t get too caught up in being perfectly accurate or precise. Use the 60-30-10 color theory as a flexible guideline to ensure that color is distributed cohesively and proportionately. It ensures that colors do not compete with one another, overwhelm the room or appear disjointed or out of place.
It’s one thing to understand a theory, and it’s another thing to implement it. So, let’s walk through what the 60-30-10 color theory might look like in practice.
Imagine you are furnishing and decorating a living room, and you’ve selected an interior design color palette of navy blue, cream and olive green. This is what your process may look like with this formula in mind.
A deep navy blue will be the base color of your room – the star of the show, if you will. This is the color you might paint your walls. Then, you can incorporate it through your largest pieces of furniture, such as a plush navy sectional sofa or a sleek navy entertainment center and an anchoring area rug.
Cream will play the supporting role. Used half as much as navy, cream can be incorporated through curtains, accent chairs or love seats, a coffee table or side tables and so on. If you have drenched navy walls and substantial navy furniture, you may opt for a cream rug or thick drapes to balance this primary color.
Olive green will serve as the room’s accent color, used throughout the room with restraint. You may place a few olive green accent pillows on your couch, select wall art with hints of olive green, choose olive green lamps or vases for your tables and shelves or even incorporate the color through plants and greenery.
The beautiful thing about infusing the 60-30-10 rule in interior design is that it works with any color combination, from subtle and serene to bold and expressive. If you’re looking for inspiration for your own space, here are a few decorating color schemes you can use through the lens of this 60-30-10 framework.
If you’re creating a meditative, minimalistic space, consider a neutral color backdrop accented with a darker or deeper shade to create visual depth. Consider a palette like:
The taupe and cream create a calming, subdued neutral backdrop, while the terracotta serves as an eye-catching pop of warmth.
If you want your room to feel organic and grounded, play with a palette of rich, earthy tones inspired by nature. This may look something like:
A warm shade of tan paired with mocha brown creates a cozy, grounded base, while adding shades of green brings the nature-inspired palette to life.
Dreaming of crashing waves and salty air? A coastal-inspired room embraces colors that feel breezy and relaxed, like:
This palette plays with classic colors of the coast while adding dimension and interest through a crisp navy contrast.
Maybe you’re not interested in anything subdued or understated, and “daring” or “maximalist” is more your speed. Even when embracing more “outside-the-box” color palettes, using this formula can help ensure the effect is brilliant rather than overstimulating.
Choosing colors opposite each other on the color wheel creates high contrast, while the crisp white stands out as an accent color within a color-drenched room.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with other unexpected combinations! From decorating with pink to embracing saturated blues or greens, this 60-30-10 formula will make even the most adventurous color choices feel intentional.
One reason the 60-30-10 rule has remained popular for decades is that it gives you a roadmap without taking away your creativity. Once you understand the formula, it’s much easier to introduce color confidently and create a room that feels balanced.
At CORT Furniture Outlet, you’ll find sofas, accent chairs, rugs and decorative accents that make it easy to experiment with color throughout your home. Whether you’re introducing a new accent color or building an entire room around a palette, browse online or visit your local showroom to find pieces that help bring your vision to life.
