By Amy Wolff, CID
You have heard of the psychology of color. Colors make you feel emotions, so why not create the emotion of your choice in your home? Below illustrates the emotional power of five popular colors:
- Red – Red stimulates the body and mind. It increases your metabolism and your blood pressure, and makes you more alert. Because red stimulates appetite, food tastes better when surrounded by red. So it is often used in dining rooms. Red can make a person feel passionate and excited. But beware – too much red can evoke anger and lead to anxiety – not a good choice for the bedroom.
- Blue – Blue acts like red’s opposite. It decreases the pulse rate, lowers body temperature, and reduces appetite. Blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is great to use in rooms where relaxation is desired. People are also more productive in blue rooms, so if you need a little kick in the pants, try blue for your home office.
- Yellow - Yellow has been proven to stimulate the brain. This stimulation can make you more alert and decisive. It helps memory and promotes clear thinking. With a yellow kitchen, you just might not need that extra cup of coffee in the morning!
- Green – Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect. It helps us balance and soothe our emotions. Green relaxes our muscles and helps us breathe deeper and slower. Studies show that those who have a green work environment experience fewer stomachaches, but may produce laziness!
- Purple – Purple is a mysterious color. It is the combination of two complete opposites – red and blue. Purple can be invigorating or calming, depending on how much red or blue is in the shade. Use purple in rooms where you want to feel creative or spiritual because it balances the mind.
Combining colors is often a challenge for homeowners. Which color goes nicely with brown? How do you add color to a blue room? The following tips will give you confidence to add the right hues to your home. Know the Three Basic Color Schemes:
- Monochromatic – colors with the same hue but different values (brown and taupe; two shades of blue)
- Analogous – colors that are next to each other on the color wheel and thus similar (green and yellow; red and purple). Rooms can use three analogous colors for more excitement, like green, yellow, and orange. A subtler, more sophisticated analogous combination could be yellow-green, yellow, and orange-yellow.
- Complementary – color-wheel opposites. Complementary colors give the most contrast and are exciting to the eye (orange and blue; red and green)
Take a Cue from Mother; Mother Nature, that is! Colors that are found together in the great outdoors are also beautiful when combined in the home. Think of a light blue sky paired with silvery white clouds. Or a forest with its combination of greens mixed with tree bark brown. If it’s pleasing in nature, it’ll be sure to please you inside, as well.
Look to Your Closet:; think about the color combinations you enjoy wearing. What accent colors do you add to your outfits? Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, says,
“If you look and feel good with those colors on, you’ll like them around you.”
When adding new color to your home; remember to stay classic with your largest, most expensive pieces. That way, when you choose to make any changes, you just need to switch small accessories and other inexpensive items. Easy! Remember that color has a profound effect on how we feel. Decide how you want to feel, and use color to achieve your goal.