Using descriptive language for colors communicates the intricacies of their characteristics. Knowing the basic "language of color" will help you achieve your decorating goals.

All colors have three basic characteristics: hue, intensity and value. These variations result in producing an endless range of color. By mixing basic colors with one another or white, black or gray in varying proportions you can achieve thousands of color options.

Hue
Hue is the purest form of a color, whether it is a red or a green. Lighter or darker are still the same hue. Therefore, a light red and a deeper red are of the same hue.

Intensity
Intensity describes a color's degree of purity, or saturation. Saturated colors appear more vivid to the eye. You can lessen the intensity of a color by adding either white or black to it. The color will become more pale or grayer depending on how much you add.

Value
Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of color. As a color is mixed with white, gray or black, it moves away from its pure color, becoming a tint or a shade. A tint is a color that has been lightened by adding white. The more white added, the paler the color. Pink, for instance is a tint of pure red. A shade is a color that has been darkened by the addition of black. The more black added, the darker the color. Lavender is a shade of purple. A tone is a color that has been modified with gray, creating a more subtle or toned-down version of the color. For example, mustard is a tone of yellow.

Working with different values of various colors in your decorating plan is more pleasing than choosing colors of the same value; it keeps colors from competing with each other. Blue and green, for example, don't always work well together, but a high-value pastel blue and a low-value dark green can be an effective combination.