Choosing a color palette for your home

Choosing a color palette can be a difficult task, but set yourself up for success by knowing the basics of the color wheel and how different schemes work.

•Follow the color principle of 60-30-10 to create an aesthetically pleasing color scheme. Divide your color choices into percentages: 60 percent is a dominant color, 30 percent is a secondary color and 10 percent is the accent color.

•Always consider how lighting will affect color choices. Before finalizing your selections, see how each color will look in the room during different times of the day.

•While beige is a neutral, shades of your favorite colors can also act as neutrals in your room. A neutral just needs to be a balance of warm and cool tones, like a soft shade of red in a living room.

•While a mixture of colors can be beautiful, too many or the wrong shades together can create a disastrous look. Follow a favorite color scheme, like monochromatic or complementary, and stick with the 60-30-10 rule to create the perfect palette.

•Adding a trendy color to a room's palette can be the fresh take you need, but choose where you use the newcomer wisely. Wall colors and accessories can be easily switched out, but when purchasing furniture, choose shades that will stand the test of time.

•Pink isn't just for girls and blue isn't only for boys anymore. Bring shades that are usually marked for gender-specific rooms into the living areas of your home.