Though home decorating should be enjoyable, sometimes mixing colors and patterns feels as fun as visiting the dentist. You know the outcome will be worth the work, but getting there is a bit painful and uncomfortable.

If creating your home’s color palette is overwhelming, you may stand in front of the paint swatch display and feel helpless. But TikTok is here with a simple technique to help you conquer the color conundrum—no interior designer necessary.

The Secret

TikTok creator @thatcotswaldclaire (Claire) shared her secret for getting a professionally-designed look in your home. It starts with choosing five colors based on paint supplier store displays or the brochures you take home. According to Claire, any of the hues on the same row work together for a design scheme.

By scanning the rows of colors and picking five that catch your eye, you’ve put together the perfect combination for your home. And by home, Claire means every room. According to her, the best way to use these five colors you pick is throughout your house for a cohesive look. If you like, you can add another two hues to the assortment, but start with five.

Color Distribution

When choosing your colors, think about what you’re redoing and keeping. If you have wood floors, begin with that tone and work across the color row to find coordinating hues. If you have a statement sofa you plan to keep that’s sage green or navy blue, use that to build your palette.

Not all of the colors are meant to go on all of your walls. In fact, in a smaller home, using the same color on the walls in each room is a calming way to decorate. It eliminates a jarring change from space to space. Consider the most neutral among the five to use as your wall color.

Claire recommends using the boldest of your five picks for accents: Save bright pink, vibrant orange, or electric blue for lamps, throw pillows, and tabletop objects, and stick with less saturated colors for bigger items like area rugs, comforters, bathroom tile, or (of course) paint.