Monochromatic Layers: Four Tiers of Black, White, Gray, and Brown

A space with almost no color. All colors fall within the range from achromatic to extremely low saturation, but the lightness is clearly divided into four levels: the lightest is the warm off-white of the walls and ceiling; the second level is the light gray-beige of the floor stone; the third level is the medium gray-brown of textiles and soft furnishings; the darkest is the deep brown-near-black of solid wood and some furniture. The difference between the four levels is clear, so the layering and focal points of the space are very distinct—lighter above, darker below; lighter in the distance, darker up close. There are no high-saturation colors. The only exceptions are the amber of tea, the color of a single flower, and the dark gold of copper, all of which occupy extremely small areas. Avoid: adding high-saturation colors and patterns, blurring the four lightness levels, using cool gray tones, increasing the variety of colors.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一個幾乎沒有色彩的空間。所有的顏色都落在無彩度到極低彩度的範圍內,但明度分成清楚的四階:最淺的是牆面與天花的暖米白;第二階是地坪石材的淺灰米;第三階是織品與軟裝的中灰褐;最深的是實木與部分家具的深褐近黑。四階之間的落差明確,因此空間的層次與重心非常清楚——上淺下深、遠淺近深。沒有任何高彩度的顏色。唯一的例外是茶湯的琥珀、一枝花的顏色與銅的暗金,面積都極小。避免:加入高彩度的顏色與圖案、讓四個明度階層變得模糊、使用冷色調的灰、增加顏色的種類。