Our Guide to Balancing Warm + Cool Tones
Good design is all about balance…
and whether you’re repainting a room or choosing your bedding, considering the colors or tones of each element or piece can make all the difference in the final result.
The balance or imbalance of warm or cool tones in your space can completely change how it feels. Even in designs with a neutral palette, undertones in wood finishes and hardware need to work together to create a dimensional and cohesive look.
We love mixing warm and cool tones in our projects to create more interest, but it can be tricky to know where to start in your own space.
In this post, we’re sharing more about our approach to mixing warm and cool tones and a few tips on simplifying the process.
From our Pine Brook Home
From our Beckham Project
Warm tones vs. cool tones
Before you can start balancing the tones in your space like a pro, it’s helpful to step back and understand the different impacts they can have on your design.
Warm tones (reds, oranges, browns, yellows, golds, beige, and whites with creamy undertones) are stimulating, and while they can make your space feel cozy and inviting, too many of them in one area can create a closed-in, stuffy feeling.
Cool tones (blues, greens, purples, grays, silvers, and whites with grey undertones) are calming and have a modern, clean effect. However, too many cool tones in one space can make a design feel cold and unwelcome.
Whites can be warm or cool depending on the undertones, and since black is neither warm nor cool, it can be a great element to add balance to your space.
From our Moody & Bright Netflix Remodel
From The McGee Home
From our Historic Netflix Kitchen Remodel
From our Midcentury Loft Netflix Remodel
Mixing warm + cool tones
While your space may lean towards one or the other, adding layers of contrast and blending warm and cool tones together is part of what makes a room feel curated and thoughtful.
If you’re drawn to one particular element or finish, remember that sometimes too much of the same element can get lost.
From our Northridge Remodel
From our Rye NY Project
From our Open & Bright Netflix Bath Remodel
Finding your jumping-off point
Finding a jumping-off point for mixing warm and cool tones can make getting started less overwhelming.
Whether you’re choosing hard finishes like flooring and light fixtures or soft finishes like furniture and decor pieces, consider what you have selected or own already, and evaluate the tones coming through. Are they warm or cool?
Once you have a jumping-off point, it’s easier to find ways to layer and contrast to create more interest.
From our AZ Homestead Project
From our Open & Airy Netflix Kitchen Remodel
From The Sunset House
Adding dimension through contrasting pieces
Furniture and decor can be a great way to bring in contrasting tones to your finishes, too.
Adding leather chairs to a moody, cool-toned lounge space can instantly make the room feel inviting, while cool-toned barstools in a kitchen with gold lighting and hardware can refresh the space and bring balance.
From The McGee Home
From The Crestview House
From our Beckham Project
Can you see the warm and cool elements in these spaces? Keep scrolling for more examples!
From our Modern Bohemian Netflix Remodel
From our PC Contemporary Project
From The McGee Home
From The Sunset House
