Colour of the Year 2022 Ambassador | Colour Theory with Dr Alex George

Dr Alex and Dr Dulux’s Decorating Tips - Hero

Colour of the Year 2022 Ambassador: Dr Alex discovers the basics of colour theory

Let’s Colour Podcast hosts, Marianne and Steph were on hand to offer their top tips on colour theory for Dr Alex George to decorate his new home.

Colour of the Year 2022 Ambassador: Dr Alex discovers the basics of colour theory

Our Colour of the Year Ambassador 2022, Dr Alex George, had an entire flat he needs to decorate – but was wondering where to start. Fortunately, Let’s Colour Podcast hosts, Marianne and Steph were on hand to offer their top tips on colour theory.

It sounds like something from a textbook, but actually, colour theory is pretty simple. It basically tells you how different colours work with each other. So, it’s a handy bit of know-how to have when it comes to creating a colour scheme for your space.

The starting point is looking at a colour wheel. The Dulux colour wheel has two sides to it. The same colours feature on both sides, but whereas one side is all light, bright energetic shades, the flip side shows more muted, sophisticated tones.

How to create a tonal colour scheme

Dr Alex George is a big fan of blue. And actually, you can create a tonal colour scheme just using one single colour. All you do is find, say, blue on the colour wheel and then select different shades of blue to pair with it. The result is a lovely, layered effect that gives your space a stylish sense of light and shade.

How to create a harmonious colour scheme

As well as blues, Alex likes the calming quality of green too. If you look at the colour wheel, you’ll notice that blues and greens sit next to one another. This means that they work in harmony. So, if you wanted to create a balanced and harmonious scheme, you simply pick two colours that sit next to one another on the colour wheel. Blue and green could be one option, but you could also pair blue with purple too.

How to add a lively pop of colour

The colour wheel is a circle, which means as well as colours that sit next to one another, every colour has an opposite too. This is good for when you want to add a bit of drama to your space with little pops of colour. So, one thing you can do like Alex is add a cushion in a bright colour like burnt orange to complement the sofa colour – a simple finishing touch with real standout.

The great thing about the Dulux colour wheel is that it’s so ridiculously simple to use. Play around with it and you’ll be able to create colour scheme combination that gives your space real personality.

For more colour scheming tips with Dr Alex, Marianne and Steph, listen to the complete Let’s Colour Podcast here. Or if you’d like to start experimenting with colour, have a play with the Dulux Visualizer App to see the colours you love projected onto your walls, as if by magic!