1. Contrast of hue – contrasting undiluted colours such as the primaries, red, yellow and blue.
  2. Light-dark contrast – contrasting black and white.
  3. Cold-warm contrast – contrasting warm colours such as red, orange and yellow with cool colours such as blue, green and purple. Psychologically warm colours are perceived as exciting and cool colours are perceived as calming. Colour saturation affects human perception as well and effects may be temporary. Faber Birren referred to a study done in a factory where workers perceived dark boxes as heavy and light coloured boxes with same content as lighter in weight.

Also, perceptions of warm and cool colour also apply to colour that advance and recede. Warm dark colours tend to advance. Cool light colours recede; also, saturation of colour and use also affects advancement and receding of colour.

4. Complementary contrast – contrasting two colours directly opposite to each on the 12 colour wheel.

5. Simultaneous contrast – colours placed next to each other will change the appearance of each other in hue, value and chroma because after starting at a colour the eye becomes tired and projects the colour’s complement. Two colours next to each other will tint the other with its own complement. Thus, complementary colours appear brighter than if used on a standalone basis. Proportion will also affect this outcome. Colours appear brighter when used in unequal proportions; when they are equal they tend to cancel each other out. See #7.

6. Contrast of saturation: contrast between pure and intense colours and dull/diluted colours.

7. Contrast of extension or proportion: inquires what quantitative proportion between 2 colours is needed so two colours are in balance and no colour is more prominent than the other. In 1899 Paul Signac published “D’eugene delacroix au neo-impressionnism.” He found a dark colour next to a light colour will appear darker and the light colour will appear lighter.

Information courtesy of New York School of Interior Design “Color for Interiors” class