Color choice is a major aspect of decorating the home and for good reason: you spend a lot of your time in your residence and you want it to feel comfortable. But are you aware of how colors affect your mood, and ultimately, your comfort in the home? You might have an instinctive awareness that color plays a role in how you feel, but you might not consider the fact that constant exposure to a color can influence how you feel in that space. How do different colors affect your mood? Here’s a look at the hows and whys.
Warm and Hot Colors
Orange, yellow, and red are warm colors. These are the same colors found in a flame. A room with too much of any of these colors has the potential to make the occupants uncomfortable, irritable, or agitated. Different shades, tints and hues should contrast or complement the other colors in the room. A splash of orange or red injects a bright highlight in an otherwise calm room and creates a mildly exciting visual experience without being disruptive.
Cool and Cold Colors
Blues, purples, greens, and variations on these colors are considered cool colors. They’re comforting, inviting, and mildly stimulating. A cool color palette helps create a relaxing ambiance where people can relax without completely disengaging their minds.
Perhaps the best part about cool colors is that they’re easily tempered with neutral and warm colors. Add a shock of pink to a purple room and watch how people’s eyes are drawn to and delighted by the contrast. Bring in silver or greys to a room of blue to create an atmosphere of ease and calm. Balance is key with these colors. Too much blue can make a person feel down while too much purple can overwhelm.
Neutral Colors
Grey, gold, silver, taupe, beige, white, and black all fall into the neutral color category. They’re considered neutral because they appear to be without color and won’t challenge the viewer. However, these colors have undertones and intensities that easily change the mood of a room. A bright white room feels cold and clinical whereas a room where beige dominates is boring.
Neutrals lack stimulation and that’s why they’re found in just about every living and commercial space. They won’t overwhelm other things in the room such as furniture or artwork, and frequently work well as a backdrop color. But neutrals on their own are lifeless and dull. They don’t encourage people to engage and use the space in a dynamic fashion. And darker shades of neutrals can shut down the feeling of a room, especially if it’s the dominant color.
Understanding what colors affect your mood is a good “tool” to have in your proverbial “designer’s toolbox.” Always remember that there are no hard and fast rules over how you use color. Sometimes a room benefits from the use of disruptive colors, and sometimes it’s better to use ones that soothe. Let your knowledge and instinct guide you when it comes to filling a room with color and making it pop.
Looking for the right team to create the home of your dreams? At Perla Lichi Design, we know the right color and decor to set the perfect mood in every room. Whether it’s classic, contemporary, or something in-between, transforming your house into the home of your dreams starts with Perla Lichi. Call us today at (954) 726-0899 for a free consultation!