12 Color Rules Joanna Gaines Swears By

We would all love to live in a home designed by Joanna Gaines. Yet unless you live in the Waco, Texas, area, it's probably not likely. But there is still the next best thing: knowing her ride-or-die color rules when decorating our own homes. In the world of interior design, few names shine as brightly as Gaines'. The beloved designer has become a household name with her keen eye for aesthetics and innate ability to create captivating spaces. But beyond her effortless style and charming personality, a secret ingredient has contributed to Joanna's remarkable success: her understanding and mastery of color.

She recently revealed that "deep rich greens" are her favorite color — always have been, always will be. But what about when she is pulling color samples for clients' homes? We did a deep dive into Joanna Gaines' world to round up her color rules. She uses these principles to design homes that are not just visually stunning, but also brimming with warmth and personality. Whether you are prepping for a redecorating project or are just filling up your Pinterest board for your "one-day" dream house, it's always best to listen to Joanna Gaines. Here are her best color rules.

As the senior designer at Magnolia, Kristen Bufton works directly with Joanna Gaines. She helps the HGTV star implement her decorative ideas and communicate them to the public. Bufton shared that one of Gaines' favorite tips is playing with gray and white as easily-swappable neutrals. "You can interchange these colors easily since they are both neutrals, although I would recommend avoiding a monochromatic scheme of all gray," she told House Beautiful. "I encourage you to play with fun hardware, lighting, and rugs to add pops of color and texture throughout the space."

The colors are also very flexible, so no matter the overall theme of your space, they still work well. This means you can fashionably combine gray and white to decorate a modern loft or a classic farmhouse and pull it off effortlessly. This also means that if you want to redesign your space in the future, it will be a snap because you don't have to repaint it. Instead, you can swap out a few painting and furniture pieces and have a new vibe in just a few hours.

Red can be a controversial color for home interiors. Some might love it because it's bold and invigorating, while others would encourage you to stay well away from the hue, especially in the bedroom. Some research even suggests that a red wall in a relaxation space might increase your anxiety and blood pressure, causing discomfort and restlessness. However, as per usual, Joanna has found the perfect solution for those who love red and want to incorporate it into our homes the right way. "I do think the right shade of red can add character to a front door and is great for curb appeal," she told Real Simple.

Curb appeal is your home's one chance at a great first impression. It's especially important when you are trying to sell. A bright, friendly red door will stand out perfectly against a healthy green lawn, making it the perfect choice. It's also great feng shui, for those keeping track. A red door is considered to be lucky, safe, and full of hospitality. So if your front door looks a little drab, or if you want to score a quick facelift for your house's front facade, reach for red.

A fun way to incorporate more color into a space is through trim work. This can be the crown moldings that run along the tops of your walls, the baseboards along the floor, or even the wainscotting that comes halfway up. For Joanna Gaines, all these are fair game for a perfect pop of color. "One thing I feel like I've loved doing this past year that I can't wait to incorporate more of in more unique ways is trim work," she told Country Living. "Even though it's a muted color, it can be a bold accent."

That doesn't mean you don't have to paint your trim work bright red for it to stand out against cream walls. What Gaines means here is that even the slightest contrast in color creates a bit of visual interest. A white baseboard adds a touch of personality against a gray wall, as would a soft gray picture railing against an eggshell background. If you prefer colored walls, the trim can be white and stand out perfectly, although the inverse can look just as fabulous.

Before "The Castle," Gaines was famous for using one pop of color to make a statement. Those who recognize her iconic, all-white farmhouse interiors will know that she preferred a neutral design, but used an accent color to liven the aesthetic. Even in "The Castle," while Gaines' color selections have gotten darker, she still limits one statement hue per room. And that's because that's her mantra. "Just a hit of color can make a big statement in a space," she told HelloGiggles. That's all you need to keep your room visually interesting.

But are you unsure of how to select that statement color? Gaines is a firm believer in following your gut. She told Domino that each person has a section of the color wheel that they naturally gravitate towards and should listen to that instinct. If a color sample immediately caught your eye, it was probably for a reason. Don't overthink it, and try adding that hue to the room. You can also take inspiration from your closet. If you have a neutral wardrobe but seem to gravitate towards a pop of emerald green, implement that into your home design as well.

Sometimes a bright white can look crisp and clean in your home, but if not selected correctly, it can easily look more like a hospital ward than a living room. To avoid this, Joanna advises fans not to go for stark white, as it's too harsh. Instead, go for softer shades with warmer undertones. "Shiplap is a go-to white — it's creamier and feels more comfortable in a space than a harsh, sterile white," she wrote on her Magnolia blog. "It's such a versatile shade that works well on walls, trim, and cabinets. In bright, natural light, you can really notice the cream undertones."

In her own line of Magnolia Paints, Gaines has dozens of options with different undertones, proving that choosing stark white is unnecessary. You'll be able to find a tone that matches your existing color theme. Even when shopping outside Gaines' paint line, make sure you never go too sterile and look for warmer, welcoming white hues.

We would all love more space in the kitchen, but Joanna Gaines has a color trick to make even the smallest kitchens seem much bigger. "I love to play with color because it's all about an illusion. One of the things I tell people is that anything from the countertop up, keep light in a space that's this small," she told HGTV. To make a 150-square-foot kitchen feel less cramped, Gaines painted the bottom cabinets a charcoal color and the top cabinets a creamy white hue. This tricks the eye into thinking the room is airier than it is since all the visual weight is condensed at the bottom. 

But you don't have to stop with just the cabinet color. "From the wall color to the cabinet color to the lights against a white tile backsplash, it really gives this feeling of a light and airy space. It gives the illusion it's a lot larger than it actually is," she explained. Colorblocking light hues on top of dark will help open up the space each time.