With so many wonderful colors to choose from it can be quiet difficult to decide what to use or how you want your room to look. Well one of the first things to think about is what the room is used for, because you definitely don’t want to use a color that clashes with your furniture and décor…and most importantly with your personality.
Did you even realize that the colors that you use to paint your home could affect you in a psychological way?
Most people as a rule don’t think about how a color can affect them or those around them. They like a specific color so they decide to paint their living room, family room or bedroom.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the barrage of color and lose track of what you may have had in mind when you first get to the store and now you have to contend with the knowledge that you could end up with a color that can cause you to grow horns or start crying.
You should make sure not to underestimate the influence any color has. When you are choosing a color, think about your favorite colors and color combination’s and how you feel about them. You want to create a room that you can enjoy being in without feeling oppressed or the need to run away. You want a space that is comforting and cozy and sometimes lively and exciting.
Everyone already knows that dark colors can make a room appear smaller where as lighter colors make a room appear larger and brighter. Beyond that you will find that colors can be placed into three key groups.
- Colors that stimulate and inspire;
- Colors that are calming, peaceful and relaxing colors and
- Colors that bring about harmony and balance.
Decorating with Group One Colors – Warm Paint Colors
If you want to decorate your room using the first group of colors then you would choose colors that are warm, such as reds, oranges and yellows. These colors are referred to as warm colors because they bring to mind images that are linked with heat, such as the sunshine or fire. Because of this they tend to make us feel warm in a psychological way.
When reds are used you will find that it is a very powerful color that will cause an increase in the heart rate and blood pressure. Intimate, passionate, sexual and energizing feelings are predominant with red. It is also a color that stimulates a person’s appetite, therefore a good color for dining areas. Watch the colors of your favorite restaurants and see what the predominate color being used is.
Orange is a nice warm color that will also warm up a room in a more easy going friendly welcoming manner. It is a good color for living rooms and dens and it is also a good selection for your kid’s bedroom.
Yellow is actually a two-fold color. It is an attention catcher and your eyes are drawn to it before any other color. Elderly people have stated that having yellow in their bedrooms is uplifting, however if the color is too bold it can actually be the cause of anxiety. The wrong shade of yellow can cause a person’s metabolism to speed up making them feel uneasy and frustrated and to top it off, as pretty as the color is, it is the one color that is the most wearing on your eyes.
Decorating with Group Two Colors – Cool Paint Colors
If you are considering decorating a room and using colors from the second group, then you are looking at colors that are in the cool spectrum. These are blue, green and purple. These are all very calming colors. They are considered the cool because they bring about images of ocean views and lush green landscapes all of which bring about feelings of peacefulness and relaxation.
A color that is used more than any other in the US is blue. It is used in nurseries, daycare centers and schools. It is a color that is perfect for the bedroom of a child or an adult as it is very soothing and helps you to relax and sleep better. However it is not a color that is good to have in and around the kitchen or dining area unless you want to stay on a diet because it is a colorful appetite suppressant.
Our lives are filled with green, everywhere we look we see it so it only makes sense that it is a good color to use no matter what room you choose. It is a color that is often found in office buildings and hospitals.
Pinks, purples and violets, oh my! Not exactly a color range that most adults are overjoyed about. However it has been proven that these colors bring about happiness and creativity, hence good colors for a child’s play area.
Decorating with Group Three Colors – Mixed Colors
When you are decorating from the third group you are creating balance and harmony by combining colors in a way that they complement each other as well as the feelings they bring out in you. For example you can take two different shades of orange and create a room that is energetic, positive as well as secure feeling.
No matter how you decide to decorate your home with the multitude of colors that are available it is an effective way of expressing yourself and showing your true colors. It is also easy enough to change the mood and temperament of any room in your home without too much cost. So pick up a paintbrush and express your personality and desires with color.
