Today, I decided I wanted to talk about something really light and fun: fall color palettes. Since I am a creative at heart and most of my hobbies include creating and using different color palettes, it only seemed natural to discuss some color palettes I’m loving at the moment.
Now, when I talk about these color palettes, keep in mind I’m not necessarily talking about using these colors for anything specific. Many of them are inspired by color schemes that could be used for decorating a room in a home, but that doesn’t mean they are for a room in my house or that it has to be used for any sort of decorating at all.
I will say, though, I’ve gotten pretty good at creating color combinations since we began renovating and decorating our home.
On the contrary, some of these palettes were inspired by nature. Others I can imagine wearing, using them in an outfit I’d love. And others may even be for a piece of art I’m envisioning. (I look at a lot of art each day on social media–don’t judge me.)
Hopefully some of these will inspire you to get to work on your next artistic project. Maybe you’ll even borrow one of my palettes, or at least a color or two. I want these to inspire you in some way.
Color Palettes I’m Loving
(+ aged brass metal)
I paired these colors with an aged brass color swatch I found in the paint section at Lowe’s. Certain lines now have paint that resembles metals. Although I don’t need that for any projects I’m working on, I love the idea of using these to see what hardware pairs with which colors in a room.
This idea was inspired by an imaginary bedroom or office I’d love to decorate in these colors. I’m not planning on using these in my home since we already have those covered, but sometimes it’s fun to envision a room to makeover just for the fun of it (or for a future home!).
I love the dark, moody royal navy color because it would really complement some of these other colors. The browns and yellows really remind me of fall time, and I love switching out a traditional red or purple for this dark blue color to shake things up a bit.
Exercise
Head to the paint section of your local hardware store. Pick out some swatches: Try selecting 3 neutrals or pastels to work with and combine them with a dark color (or two) you love. See which ones speak to you most. Play with them by switching out different dark colors to see what you like best. Remember, these are just color palettes, they are not permanent. You are not marrying them. Try something you normally wouldn’t put together and have fun!
Creamy
Pastels always feel so calming to me which is why I’m naturally drawn to them. I am also apt to picking greens as often as possible. Shades of greens are my absolute favorite. Greens remind me of nature, health, and overall prosperity which is all the more to love them.
The light creamy orange reminds me of the fall season, being a softer version of a bright, saturated orange that you’d see on pumpkins or chrysanthemums.
You may have noticed I didn’t use any dark or brighter colors here. Not every color combination needs one or two contrasting colors. Sometimes a mixture of subtle ones work just fine.
Exercise
Choose a series of your favorite pastel colors. After you finish, switch their arrangement on a table until you get something somewhat cohesive. Do the colors flow well together? If not, trade one out for another pastel you love that does work with the rest of your color palette. Try using some of these the next time you paint with watercolors, select decor for a neutral room, or make a fancy dessert. Using more color is all about practice.
Okay, this one is a little more traditional: full of deep fall purples and reds we love. Coupled with a soft terracotta pink, an earthy blue, and off-white coastal beige, this color palette is fall-inspired but wouldn’t look gaudy during other seasons of the year. This could be a lovely color scheme for a fall wedding if you ask me. I can just imagine all these colors throughout different bouquets of flowers and desserts laid out at a reception. Stunning!
Exercise
Pull up your search browser and type in “fall color schemes with ____”, inserting one of your favorite fall colors to fill in the blank. Do any of these color schemes jump out at you? Do any of them resemble mine? Some of them may, but there are thousands and thousands of different color combinations, being that there are so many colors in existence.
Even if you use mine as a guide, you will still be able to create a unique color palette to use. Stick with the same primary colors of the palette you found, but try to play around with the hues. For example, if you found a fall color palette with 1-2 blues in it, search for similar blues that you love that are maybe slightly lighter or darker than the guide.
Try this with several colors until you’ve created your very own color scheme.
This is one of my favorite dark, earthy color palettes. I wanted to challenge myself with this one and only used one pastel!
If I lived in a 1920s craftsman home, somewhere on the coast, I’d decorate it in these colors–combining lots of vintage and Boho decor along the way. I think the reason I love it so much this fall season is because they contain so many dark colors, which isn’t very typical for me.
As the fall season inches closer to winter, the days are shorter and darker… This color palette is a bit reminiscent of this natural phenomena we encounter each year. Don’t you just love it?
Exercise
Think of a style you love for fashion or decorating. Is it Boho Chic? Dark Academia? Modern Farmhouse? Do a search on Pinterest for your favorite color aesthetic. See what you can find that you love, and try to decide which colors go together most and why.
For example, I chose Dark Academia (feeling the spooky season creeping up) and found lots of dark colors with a few neutral grays and browns in the mix. Most of the colors intuitively feel like they go together because they’re all rather dark, but are offset with the few lighter colors added in. This balances it all out just enough.
Now, ask yourself if you would use any of these color combinations for something in your everyday life. Would you wear this color combination in an outfit? Would you use these colors in your uber-coordinated planner? Is this representative of anything specific in your life or did you just randomly choose these colors because you enjoy them at this very moment?
Try adding a bit of these influences into something you do in the near future and see how it works out for you. Do these colors make you feel good? Do they evoke any particular emotions? What do they remind you of?
Final thoughts…
Remember, this is all just practice. But practicing creating color palettes leads to actively using them in the real world. AKA your home. Your make-up. Your paintings. Your tablescape. Whatever art it is that you like to make with your own two hands.
Finding color palettes you love can really make life easier when you’re constantly creating. It’s fun to branch out, but it’s also nice to have a set of colors that you can go back to because you know you’ll always love them no matter what.
I’d love to hear which colors are inspiring you at the moment, especially this fall season.
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