Your event color palette is one of the most important visual stimuli to enhance the live experience. What are the rules of color and how can you use it to your best advantage?

The color palette in combination with the set, staging, lighting design, props and other elements that make up the experience need to be in harmony. But where do you start when considering the color palette used in your event design?

I’ve attended events where the color palette has enhanced both the overall look and feel of the event as well as venue fixtures, fittings and general décor. I’ve also seen some very strange and discombobulated palettes too. In this post we highlight ways in which you can explore a color palette to suit the event objectives, the venue and the time – day or night - of the event.

Rule 1: Analogous Color Palettes

These are formed by pairing one main color with the two colors directly next to it on the color wheel. This scheme type of three colors creates a soft and less contrasting palette. It can be complemented by adding two additional colors, which are found next to the two outside colors in the wheel for a five color palette. Using one of the main colors of the venue will ensure that the palette complements the venue whilst offering softer complementary colors in the décor. For example, in a white walled venue you may want to use blue, blue-violet and turquoise as well as tints of white to create a joined up palette. This palette creates emotions of relaxation, nurturing and healing.

Rule 2: Monochromatic Color Palette

A monochromatic palette is based on various shades and tints of one hue. Whilst there are no colors that contrast, using this type of palette creates a clean look. For example, it’s a night time event and you decide that you would like to drape the venue in star cloth. You can use a monochromatic palette to compliment the backdrop by adding shades and tints of a contrasting color, say red, to create a clean look. The palette also creates emotions of passion and energy. In this example, your lighting scheme can compliment this look or you can decide to use contrasting colors in the lighting design. This is about personal tastes as well as what your client may think is going to look best.

Rule 3: Triadic Color Palette

If you are looking for a high contrast color palette consider a triadic color scheme. It offers high contrasting color but retains the same tone. To start you should choose three colors that are equally placed around the color wheel. However, there is a cautionary note here. This kind of scheme can be overpowering sometimes, depending on the volume of how much of the colors you use. For example, if you have a wood panelled room and you decide to use this scheme, make sure that the color palette is used for items that are not very large and that won't take away from the color base of the walls. You may also subdue the palette by using one dominant color and that compliments the venue coloring and then add in the other two colors sparingly or tint them so that they are softer. Also consider the emotions attached to the palette. Looking at the emotion diagram, what colors do you think will signify the emotions you want your attendees to feel?

Rule 4: Complementary Color Palette

This color palette is based on using opposite colors of the color wheel. It provides the greatest amount of color contrast so you should consider using one of them as the dominant color. It's bold and can sometimes look overbearing. However, you can also incorporate tints of the same colors to tone down the look. For example, you can use tints and shades from the same color in larger amounts, say with table cloths at an sit down dinner or a stage set that is designed with tints from the same color family.

In the example below, let's assume the venue walls are being draped in black. This ensures that the background for your lighting and decor schemes is using black to contrast all the other colors you use. You further contrast the palette by using two opposites in the color wheel - blue and yellow and tints of those colors - including mixing some of the yellow and blue to get a complimentary green introduced into the palette. A mixed palette like this may look great but what are the emotional triggers of the palette? In this case we are talking about trust, discovery, growth, enlightenment and warmth.

Rule 5: Split Complementary Color Palette

In this palette one dominant color and the two colors directly adjacent to the dominant color complement each other. This is a more complex and more nuanced color palette than the complementary palette. However, it retains the benefits of the contrast palette. Depending on the venue as a backdrop, the palette can be difficult to balance as the contracts may be overbearing. Consider using one of the dominant colors in the venue color palette. If you are designing with a white blank canvas venue then, consider using tints rather than tones so that you grade the color palette toward the white walls. This palette is probably the most difficult to read in terms of emotion as we have color contrast. However, the contrasting colors have their own emotional characteristics so make sure that you are happy with the emotional triggers you provide.

Adapted by: James Morgan, Co-Founder of Event Tech Lab

The 5 rules for an event design palette!