Behind the Design / Design 101: Color Harmonies - Monochromantic

Greetings to you. Over the last few weekends this blog has been more about updates and Bridal events. And although we are delighted to post such fun and information happenings I feel it's time to share some more creative, constructive and design-worthy knowledge. Today I'm going back to basics, back to my expertise and back to what I love... Art and Design.

So often I speak with Brides who immediately say upon meeting for a Design Consultation "my colors are ______ and white" or "______ & silver". Now, if you have colors, themes, or ideas in mind by all means let us (your Designer or Planner) know. I have to admit when I hear these words, from a design perspective, what the Client is really saying is "I've chosen one color and a neutral". And there's nothing wrong with that. I usually then find myself helping them dig a little deeper to identify"Why?"

Most people don't think of Color as a science. Sure they recall the colors of the rainbow, the acronym "Roy G. Biv" from science class or the image of the Colorwheel but "Color Theory" is an actual artistic discipline based in both science and psychology. "But Janel", you say, "I really like Purple and Silver" or "Blue and White". And if that's what you want you will definitely have it but as we move forward with your Event or Floral Design I also want us to consider the psychology of design and look at the "Purple" as being presented well with the silver (a variation in the gray family) which is a neutral.

Sometimes Brides confess they chose the "Color" because it's one of their favorites and the neutral because they just want it to "Match". Ok, now being afraid of "mis-matching" or only trying to "match" colors with a neutral is one of the big mistakes I see. Carrying swatches around and trying to make sure every flower, linen, and accessory matches that color exactly can often result in a flat look and limited color spectrum (even if you use satin or shimmer materials). Remember, the slightest variation in color can make subtle yet alluring impact.

So, here's the trick to creating a rich, compelling color using "_______ and a neutral" or only one color with no neutral (a personal favorite). The key is not to worry about "Matching a Color", the key is to "Match Hues, Tints & Tones". I pull out my colorwheel and happily share with the eager Bride one of the simplest and most effective color harmonies... Monochromatic. Simply put, you select a signal color and then add white to make it lighter (this is known as tint) and/or add black to it to make the color darker (a darker shade or tone of the same color). It is the exact same color, just different versions of it. Be careful not to use a different or similar colors to your design (this is something different that I'll touch on another time) but the same color in different tints and tones along with a neutral. This will create a single color used with a range of depth, brightness and an unforgettable feel.

Questions about color theroy? Want to learn more about the science of color? More posts to come!