How colour choice influences mood
There are many ways to boost your mood and your environment is one proven influence. The colour alone can influence how you feel in a room so you many want to put some consideration in when choosing paint colours for your home. Choosing the right colour involves more than just colours that make you feel good but its important to consider what the room will be used for and what kind of mood you want to inspire in that space.
Colour can:
- Colour can make a tiny room feel larger or more intimate
- Colour can make certain walls appear more wide or narrow
- Colours can make you feel more excited, calm, or even sad
Red
Red isn’t for the faint of heart. This bold color choice can inspire romance and passion. It often gives a room a touch of drama when used as the main accent color. Consider using it in a smaller space or as an accent as it can be overpowering if used too much. In general it is a color that is very simulating so you would want to keep it out of rooms that are for relaxing and keep it for more stimulating areas of the home.
Pink
Pink can vary greatly in shade and can set different moods depending. Light baby pink tends to typically be reserved for girls’ rooms, whereas a bright fuchsia can come off as feminine glamour. Soft pinks can also be calming and fresh. A light-almost-white-pink with hints of grey can be a nice alternative to white walls that makes people feel warm and relaxed. For smaller spaces that you spend less time in such as the bathroom it can be fun to add more exaggerated bright pink colors as accents. At the same time its good to keep in mind that pink is easily overdone so proceed with caution when thinking pink.
Orange
Orange is an energizing color. If you feel your home is lacking zest it may be time to add some tangerine to your home. This color can help you to feel happy and warm. Again this color is easily overdone, however with so many variations in shades there are many colors that will be just right, like terra cotta and apricot.
Yellow
When we think of yellow most of us think of it as a happy color. It promotes optimism and happiness. Depending on the shade yellow can be relaxing if more muted and pale, or energizing and stimulating if it is a brighter yellow. A more pale yellow can help a small room to feel large, whereas a bolder yellow can help bring intimacy into a more open space.
Green
Green symbolizes growth and renewal. Our first thoughts when we think of green is often of nature – grasses, forests and fields. Because of this rooms with green often feel relaxing and grounding, as we feel in nature. There are many shades so the feelings can vary greatly and its very versatile, from a energizing lime green, to a calm soothing pale green, and bold and grounding forest green there is lots to choose from.
Blue
Blue is fresh and cooling, while symbolizes strength and dependability. We often think of water and air, the two things we depend on most and as such blue tends to be a subconscious favorite color for many. Shades vary greatly. A deep dark blue can feel energizing, whereas a brighter blue can feel fresh and tranquil. The effect really depends on the shade and tone. The paler the more spacious a room will feel whereas the darker the more intimate.
Purple
Purple is one of the less commonly used colors in interior design as it is a regal but mostly eccentric color. Used correctly purple can give a room feelings of creativity, calm and exoticism. Purple has the potential to feel calming, such as a light lavender for a meditation or reading room, or dramatic for bright or deep purples. This color is great to add some feminine glamour or regal touches to a sitting room or powder room.
Grey
Grey comes in all different shades. It can add cool elegance and sophistication, however if used improperly can come off as dull and depressing. Grey is a great place to start if you want a cool and neutral feel to your room. Grays that are more delicate feeling can add calming notes to your room. Grey is a great color to use if you have bright bold accent colors, as the neutral-ness of grey helps accent colors not to be overpowering.
Brown
This earthy color is great for evoking feelings of security and warmth. It can help people feel calm and relaxed as it represents nature. Similar to grey it can be great as a neutral color to use along side bold accent colors. Warm rich browns help a room to be inviting and earthy.
Other considerations
These are all great considerations when choosing the colors for your home. When it comes down to it you may also want to consider what will stay clean (if you have children), how the color will age (is it trendy or timeless?) and if you mind repainting and redecorating later if you tire of the color. It’s also good to consider the colors of your furniture and décor along with your wall colours.
Not sure where to start? Contact the team at The Spectrum Cabinet Gallery for imagination and innovation today!