Think Like an Interior Designer: Following the 60-30-10 Rule

If you’ve ever admired an impeccably designed room, then you’ve probably seen the 60-30-10 rule in action. The 60-30-10 rule breaks down the percentages of each color that should be applied to the room in order to create a unified look.

Pick three colors—either complementary (colors that sit across from each other on the color wheel) or analogous (colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel)—and decide which would work as a dominant color, a secondary color, or an accent color.

This rule is extremely flexible and can be applied to any design style, including modern, contemporary, or eclectic.

• The dominant color should cover 60 percent of the room, which you will often see used as the wall color for the room.
• The secondary color should cover 30 percent of the room, and it’s normally the color of the room’s upholstery.
• The accent color should cover 10 percent of the room, which is typically used in accent pieces and floral arrangements.

However, designers don’t always follow these rules closely when creating interior designs for their clients’ homes. The dominant color is not restricted to the walls—you may notice the dominant color being used for upholstery as well.

Accent colors are not limited to floral arrangements and sculptures; in bathrooms, fixtures can stand in place of typical accent pieces. And different shades of either the dominant, secondary, or accent color can be used throughout the room without breaking the 60-30-10 rule.

Check out the examples below to see how you can use the 60-30-10 rule in different parts of your home.