How Fixer Upper's Joanna Gaines Creates Stunning Color Schemes In Homes

Joanna Gaines is known for her gorgeous transformations and design acumen, dominating the televised design world for the better part of two decades with programming like HGTV's "Fixer Upper" and her own Magnolia Network. Mixing old and new, materials and textures, accents and colors, Gaines' approach yields ever-stylish results, particularly in homes designed in her signature modern farmhouse style. While many of these spaces largely revel in neutrals, Gaines has definite ideas on how to work with color in your home, which can be one of the earliest and most challenging questions you may ask yourself when dealing with a space. Gaines, however, has some simple advice and necessary questions to ask beforehand. By carefully considering the link between your overall desired effect and particular colors, Gaines can capture what she and her homeowners want perfectly.

Gaines tells Homes & Gardens that important questions include, "What should this space become? What is the story I'm wanting to tell in this space?? By plotting out color choices carefully beforehand, you can use certain shades, and groups of shades will get you the feeling you want, be it the calm wash of blues or green, the drama of all black, or the vividness and boldness of reds and oranges.

Gaines suggests you ask yourself 'What color am I going to do in this space?"  This question can be answered primarily by both design preferences and function. Options include using some of Gaines' favorite rules for colors and their effects. Some rooms are ripe for establishing a certain feel with color, like bathrooms, where a spa-like serenity in neutrals and nature-based shades is often the perfect approach, or bedrooms, where too much bold color, like reds, can seem off-putting or keep you up at night.

Lightness and darkness are also a factor. "For instance, in my library, it's dark and moody, but in other spaces, it's nice to move from that darker moody vibe into that light and open space," Joanna Gaines tells Homes & Gardens. Cozy spaces like reading nooks or studies are perfect for darker, more dramatic shades that make the room feel intimate, while more open and light-filled spaces benefit from whites, creams, and other neutrals. You may also want to consider the effects of color on opening or closing a space, such as implementing a splash of color on an accent wall to manipulate the eye to make a room feel larger and create a focal point.

Joanna Gaines also suggests that homeowners think about the color scheme or story for the entire home as a whole. Not only does this give you some easy-to-use parameters in choosing colors, but also gives the entire home a sense of flow and intentionality that always feels put together. Many other designers, including HGTV's Nate Berkus, concur with this more unified color approach to decorating both indoor and outdoor spaces. 

Gaines suggests marshaling both neutrals and colors to make each room unified with the others, but also distinct. "I feel like there was a time when you would assume, 'my whole house needs to be neutral' or 'my whole house needs to be color'. I do feel there is space to do both, depending on what you want to feel in each room." (via Homes & Gardens). This could include opting for neutral shades in spaces where you want a sense of openness and clarity dotted by accent shades, which you then pull out for greater use in spaces, like home offices or libraries, where you want to feel more energetic or cozy.