Complementary colors, as per Wikipedia, are "pairs of colors which, when placed next to each other, create the strongest contrast for those two colors. Complementary colors may also be called 'opposite colors'."
What this means is that each color is more of itself next to its opposite. Blue is bluer near orange, red is redder next to green, and yellow is yellower by purple. (and vice versa)
How does this impact us, as people trying our best to create attractive homes?
The issue of complementary colors is a matter of balance, the important of which in interior design you can read more about here.
Often, rooms that feel blah or dull can be perked up with judicious application of complementary colors-- if your room of blue walls and brown wood floor feels boring, stick an orange lamp base, throw pillow, plant pot, and picture frame in there and see if it doesn't immediately add some zing.
It's also helpful to know about complementary colors in order to balance a palette, so it doesn't lean too far into warm or cool territory. That room with a lot of blue can feel too uncomfortably chilly, so the orange can warm it up so it's a serene, rather than cold, space.
Don't think that just because we're talking about red, purple, orange, etc. that you have to use the colors full-strength. Lighter and darker versions of these colors function the exact same way as brighter tones: counter the heat of yellow with aubergine (eggplant purple), warm up some cool green with pink. Instead of orange in that chilly blue room, throw peach or terra cotta at it.
Neutrals
Black and white are of course complementary to each other, as opposites, and just like the colors up on the wheel above, each is stronger when placed or used with the other.
A note about neutrals: browns are indisputably warm. To my way of thinking, brown is just dark yellow and/or orange, so if I want a dark version of something warm to oppose purple or blue, I often go to brown for the purpose.
Grays, however, are a unique type of neutral. Gray can be cool, looking almost blue, and it can be warm, leaning toward looking beige/tan. There's a new neutral that's become very popular in the last decade, which is a color poised precisely between beige and gray. People are calling it greige and it can be incredibly versatile, not only in keeping a room from feeling too warm or cool but in providing flexibility for a resident. How?
Well, say that right now you're really into cool colors-- can't get enough blue, teal, and green. But what about in two years, when you're tired of being cool and want some heat? You want to change things more toward the fiery end of the color spectrum-- does that mean you now have to repaint the walls or replace the sofa? No.
Because there's warmth in greige, it'll go well with the new reds and yellows and oranges you want to switch to... just as it went well with the old greens and blues and teals of last year. It can save you a lot of hassle and money when all you have to do is switch out the smaller, less expensive items to make a fresh start in a room.
Make It Pop
You may have heard the term "make it pop". It refers to any element of a design that serves to create focus and draw attention to the dominant aspect. If you've got a cobalt velvet sofa, will the richness of the blue live its best life next to navy? No, they're too similar. But put a rust or coral pillow on the sofa, and suddenly that cobalt practically glows, its richness revealed to best advantage.
Making a room pop is a surefire way not only to gain compliments from guests you've wowed with your design sensibility, but also to maintain a sense of freshness and pleasure every time you walk into it. It's hard to become bored to three muted shades of green when they have a clear red or pink making them step lively. It's hard to get color fatigue from brilliant saturations of color when there's plenty of muted shades and neutrals to hold it back.
Conclusion
Hopefully this post will help you understand the value of complementary colors in creating a palette that will excite you and create a home that feels perfect to you every time you walk in the door.
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