What 'Color Season' Is Your Home?

Color analysis has been one of the biggest trends on TikTok. But even if you aren’t on the platform, you might be familiar with it. This method has been used for decades to determine the colors that most complement an individual’s complexion, helping guide their choices for clothing, hair color, makeup, jewelry, and accessories. “Knowledge of the personal palette colors will help one to create stylish outfits, feel confident, build an efficient wardrobe, save money on shopping, and look the best in everything one wears,” says Julia Dobkine of Agile Styling.

While everyone can benefit from color analysis, it’s especially helpful if you feel that your current wardrobe doesn’t complement your hair and skin tone as much as you’d like. It’s also useful for developing a signature aesthetic that makes shopping and getting dressed easy.

But could color analysis also be applied to your home? Does your home have a "color season"? Here’s what the experts think.

What Season Are You?

During color analysis, you are typically slotted into one of the four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. However, Jeannie Stith, founder and CEO of Your Color Guru, tells me that contrary to popular belief—every season can actually wear every color. “We just give them the exact right version of that color so they can wear the hue that's most flattering on them. For example, everyone has a red they look amazing in. For Winters, it's cherry red. For Springs, it's poppy red. For Summers, it's cranberry, and for Autumns, it's tomato red. People are absolutely wowed by the difference the right hue can make once they wear the right red for them! Our color cards have 35 shades, so most people find that rather than feeling limited, they feel opened up to try all of these no-fail shades they never even considered before.”

How To Apply Color Analysis To Your Home

Even if you’ve never had a professional color analysis, you probably know what it feels like when you find a color you feel really good wearing. What if you could expirence the same feeling about a paint color or a throw across the foot of your bed? The principles of color analysis can also be applied to decorating. There are two ways to do this.

The first way is to simply incorporate your season’s color palette from your personal color analysis into your home. Stith tells me that when people first see their ideal color palette for clothing, they may experience a sense of coming home. “The colors just suit them and it's an alignment they can feel. We have heard from a lot of people that they alter the colors in their homes to align with their ideal color palette after receiving their analysis. The color cards we give are a family of shades designed to work together, so choosing from a narrowed-down, coordinated palette makes creating a color scheme for rooms very simple.”

Consider the Mood of a Room

You can also use color analysis principles by considering the mood and energy of each room. “Different colors evoke different emotions and can affect the energy of a room. Use colors from your season that align with how you want each room to feel. For instance, a bedroom might benefit from calming colors, while a study or home office might excel with more energizing shades,” explains Dobkine.

Keep Natural Light in Mind

If you plan on using color analysis to decorate your home, interior designer Amy Switzer suggests basing your decisions on the natural light in the room. “Colors can appear differently under natural light versus artificial light. If you're drawn to bold or vibrant colors, consider balancing them with neutral tones to prevent the space from feeling overwhelming. Neutral colors like white, beige, or gray can act as a backdrop or foundation to showcase bolder accent colors. Use accent colors to add personality and flair to your home decor. This could be through throw pillows, rugs, artwork, or other decorative accessories.”

She also notes that rooms with ample natural light can generally handle bolder colors more effectively. “However, I am not afraid of doing bold or darker colors in small spaces to create a cozy jewel box space.”

Finally, the designer recommends considering existing furniture, flooring, and other permanent fixtures in your home when choosing colors. “You want the colors to complement each other and create a cohesive look throughout the space. Explore different color schemes such as monochromatic or complementary. Each scheme offers a different level of contrast and harmony between colors," Switzer explains. "Before committing to a color scheme, always test paint samples on the walls to see how they look in different lighting conditions throughout the day," she says. Observe the color throughout the day, to make sure you like how they hue looks as the light varies.