Interior Design Rules - 60/30/10

A little bit of research into the interior design world will tell you one of the most popular and yet basic rules of design: the 60/30/10 rule. This rule helps beginners and amateur designers everywhere decorate their home in a way that appears professional, even without the help of a true professional. So what is the 60/30/10 rule and how does it work?

In interior design, the 60/30/10 rule actually refers to the amount of color you use in any given space. You can use the 60/30/10 rule for bedroom designs, living room designs, home office designs, den designs and more. However, it may be a bit tricker to use in kitchen designs or bathroom designs.

For this rule, 60 percent of the space should be the dominant color. This could be a neutral hue such as gray, which is extremely hot for 2012. This is the base color for your entire design, so choose wisely. Since it is the dominant hue, it’s best to stick with a neutral color. However, that’s not a set-in-stone rule and you can choose any color to represent the dominant portion of your interior design.

Next, 30 percent of your space should represent a secondary color. This is one of your main accent colors. It does not have to be a neutral, but it can be if desired.

Finally, the remaining 10 percent of the color scheme represents an accent color. A hue that adds pops of color to your space.

So to put this rule into perspective, let’s look at living room designs. The majority of the space will be the walls, so your paint color accounts for the majority of your color palette: the 60 percent. Next, the biggest pieces in the room tend to be your furniture, so pay attention to the upholstery in the room as this accounts for approximately 30% of the space. Finally, the remaining 10 percent is your chosen accent color. This could be throw pillows, a pair of table lamps and a bit of table decor on your coffee table.

The 60/30/10 rule is a great way to break into the interior design world. It’s a perfect, fool-proof way for you to decorate a number of rooms in your home, even if you’ve got limited (or not) experience with interior design. If you’re struggling with decorating ideas, you may find that the 60/30/10 rule is all you needed to get you started!