How to Choose the Perfect Colour Scheme for Your Home Renovation

Choosing paint colours can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The right palette transforms your home, sets the mood, and ties rooms together. With just a little planning, you can find colours that make each space feel inviting and true to your style.

In this guide, you’ll discover simple, practical tips to help you pick colours that work for your home and lifestyle.

7 Simple Steps to Nail Your Colour Scheme

We have selected the top 7 tips that can help you avoid common mistakes, so you’ll love your home long after the rollers are packed away.

1. Think About How You Want to Feel

Before you even pick up a paintbrush, take a moment to ask yourself how you want to feel in each space. Do you want your bedroom to feel calm and relaxing at the end of a long day? Soft blues and gentle greens can help create that peaceful atmosphere. Want your kitchen to feel bright and lively while you cook and catch up with family? Then consider warm tones, such as yellows or terracotta.

2. Use the 60‑30‑10 Colour Rule

This trick is a favourite among designers for a reason: it works. You simply divide your room into colour proportions:

• 60% of the space is your main colour (usually walls),
• 30% is your secondary colour (furniture or curtains), and
• 10% is your accent colour (think cushions, vases, or artwork).

The rule keeps your room feeling balanced and visually appealing. It helps everything work together without being boring or too matchy-matchy.

3. Make Sure Your Colours Flow Between Rooms

When your home has an open layout or connecting rooms, your colours need to flow smoothly. If your living room is soft grey and the hallway suddenly turns bright orange, it can feel jarring. Instead, pick a neutral base that can carry through multiple rooms and then play with accent colours to give each space its flavour. You’ll find that your home feels larger, calmer, and more cohesive when the colours speak the same design language.

4. Test Paint in Your Light

Don’t trust paint samples based on how they look in-store or on your phone. Light changes everything. What appears to be a warm white in natural daylight may turn yellow under your hallway lights. The best way to avoid mistakes is to paint small swatches on your actual walls and watch them throughout the day. You’ll notice if it becomes too cold in the morning or too intense at night, and save yourself from buying the wrong shade.

5. Match Colours to Your Light Conditions

Sunlight makes a big difference. If you have north-facing rooms, they tend to get cooler, bluish light, which means cooler shades can feel too cold or flat. Warmer tones, such as creamy whites, light taupes, or even soft peach, can help balance out the look. On the other hand, if you have lots of natural light, you have more freedom with cooler shades, such as greys, soft greens, or even bold navy.

6. Keep It You, Not Just Trendy

It’s easy to fall in love with trending colours on Instagram or in magazines. But ask yourself: Will you still love that bold emerald green wall two years from now? The key is to find a colour scheme that reflects your style, your personality, and your life. Look around your home for clues: What colours are in your favourite artworks, cushions, or clothes? Use those as inspiration. That way, your house feels like an extension of you, not a showroom.

7. Use Accent Colours to Add Spark

Once you’ve picked your main colour, accents are where you get to have fun. Use bolder shades to add personality, like a deep blue on a feature wall, burnt orange in your cushions, or forest green in your indoor plants. You don’t have to go overboard. Just a few subtle touches in the right places can add energy and depth to your space, making the entire room feel more dynamic and complete.

Refresh Renovations NZ Is Here to Help

Now that you’ve got a clearer idea of how to choose the perfect colour scheme, all that’s left is to bring it to life. However, we know that transforming colour ideas into a fully renovated space requires time, effort, and a bit of confidence. That’s where the team at Refresh Renovations NZ steps in. You’ll have a dedicated Renovation Consultant guiding you every step of the way, so your home turns out just the way you imagined.

‍Contact Refresh NZ for a consultation today.