This Designer Trick Makes Coordinating Colors in Your Home So Much Simpler

Many interior designers will tell you it’s a good idea to establish a color palette for your entire home. And Charlotte, North Carolina–based Natalie Papier is the GOAT when it comes to planning one out. Use these smart tips if you need help figuring out a cohesive color palette for your own home!

Take a Look Around

“When working with a client, I like to figure out what they’re naturally drawn toward—whether that’s a piece of art, a treasured textile, or even a favorite dress.” If you’re considering your closet as a jumping off point, think about what you’re naturally drawn to—are you always reaching for pretty prints? Do you have a dominant color that you notice yourself buying again and again? If you’re looking at art, ask yourself why you love certain pieces and see if you notice a pattern of colors you lean towards.

Pick a Main Color and Build on It

Next, Papier says to pick one main color to use as a throughline and build on it with shades that feel harmonious. For example, if your dominant color is brick red, you can supplement it with softer hues in the same family—like terracotta and muddied blush—so things don’t feel overwhelming. You can also look at a color wheel and pick complementary options to use as accents.

Add Some Balance

Papier also says she leaves space for quieter moments. If you have a bright paint in your living room, choose a muted main color for the adjacent space instead of jumping into another vivid tone. Now, let’s take a look at her home to see how she weaves color into her own spaces!

Follow Her Lead

Check out how Papier incorporates a whole-house color palette throughout her home.

The tile in this bathroom matches accent colors from other rooms in Papier’s house. And we love the antique vanity!

Her dining room ceiling (below) has a “friend” in the checkerboard floor of this pool house kitchen.

Instead of going bold with the wall color in her dining room, Papier chose to paint the ceiling terracotta, a color throughline that can be seen all over the house.

A color palette of blues, greens, and shades of rust/terracotta/orange makes this space feel cohesive. And how cool is that oversized wall art?