The Colour Match Guide: How to Choose Artwork That Complements Your Home

Choosing the right artwork for your home isn’t just about finding something beautiful — it’s about finding something that belongs. When a piece harmonises with your space, it feels intentional, like it was always meant to be there. That’s where colour matching comes in.

Getting this right doesn’t mean every painting has to match your sofa cushions exactly. Instead, it’s about creating a dialogue between your art and your interiors, so they work together to shape the mood of your home.

Start with Your Space

Before you fall in love with a piece, take a good look at the room it’s going into. What are the dominant colours? Which tones repeat in the furniture, flooring, or accessories? Even the natural light in the space can influence how colours appear.

Quick exercise:

• Stand in the middle of the room and identify three main colour impressions — your “colour anchors.”
• Take a photo of the space in natural daylight and use it as a reference when browsing art.

Use the 60-30-10 Rule

Interior designers often rely on the 60-30-10 principle to balance colours in a room:

• 60% main colour (walls, large furniture)
• 30% secondary colour (rugs, curtains, smaller furniture)
• 10% accent colour (decor, cushions, art)

Your artwork can live in any of these zones. A bold accent piece can inject energy, while a secondary-tone artwork will feel harmonious and calming.

Work with Complementary Colours

The colour wheel is your friend here. Complementary colours — those opposite each other on the wheel — create dynamic contrast that feels fresh and exciting. Think teal against warm orange tones, or deep blue next to mustard yellow.

Pro tip: If your room feels flat, choose art with complementary colours to give it depth and life.

Embrace Tone-on-Tone Harmony

If bold contrast isn’t your thing, tone-on-tone art can be equally stunning. This is when artwork uses shades from the same colour family as your room — perhaps a soft beige painting for a neutral living room, or a smoky green landscape for a sage-toned study.

This approach is ideal for creating a soothing, cohesive space.

Play with Metallic Accents

Metallics in artwork — gold leaf, silver highlights, bronze textures — can pick up on lighting fixtures, hardware, or decorative objects in your home. They reflect light in interesting ways and can make a space feel more luxurious.

Factor in Lighting

A colour that feels rich and vibrant in a well-lit gallery may look darker or duller in a shadowed corner of your living room. Natural daylight, warm lamplight, and cool LEDs can all shift the way colours appear.

If you’re unsure, take a sample or print of the artwork and test it in the room before committing.

Don’t Be Afraid to Break the Rules

Guidelines are there to help, not to limit you. Sometimes a piece that “shouldn’t” work based on colour theory will completely transform a room because it tells a story, sparks joy, or simply makes you feel at home.

If a piece speaks to you, listen.

Bringing It All Together

Choosing artwork that complements your home’s colours is about more than matching — it’s about balance, mood, and intention. Whether you’re aiming for bold contrast or subtle harmony, colour-aware choices will make your walls feel connected to the life happening around them.

When in doubt, trust your eye, trust your gut, and let your art be as much a part of your home’s personality as you are.