Color Me Happy, or Energized, or Calm -
Color Impacts Our Moods!
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Although you may not be conscious of it, the hues of your environment color your mood. As both an interior designer and a painter, I'm keenly appreciative of light and color, and an expert in using them to improve the look and feel of a room.
For example, the yellow room at right looks warm even though the fireplace is not lit. That was the reason I chose this color for my client; the room is in a condo at the beach, and the foggy environment can often make the room appear - and feel - chilly.
The green accent wall in the photo below adds a calming feel to the room. That's not surprising. Hospitals are often painted green because studies have shown it to be calming, and to promote healing.
We refer to watery blues and greens as “cool colors” and to fiery yellow, red, and orange as “warm colors” for reasons rooted in our psychological response to our environment and in our physical sensations.
Language, too, reveals these connections: we refer to anger as being “hot under the collar” and to embarrassment as being “red in the face” with terms that correspond to the physical sensations that accompany these emotions. (Although the emotional associations of color vary with culture, there's also some consistency, as this webpage nicely summarizes.)
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As a designer, I can use color to improve an awkwardly shaped room. For example, a corridor can be made to look less long and skinny if the side walls are painted a lighter color than the wall at the far end of the hall. (In addition, one can hide unattractive objects, such as wires and pipes, by painting them the same color as the wall behind them.) I can also use color and finish to help a room that gets too much, or too little, sun.
A light colored surface will reflect more light than a dark surface. Reflective surfaces, such as mirrors and shiny metals, enhance this effect as well. I always consider my client's furnishings and lifestyle when choosing colors and paint finishes. For example, matte white walls and small children are not a good combination! An eggshell or enamel finish in a light green or yellow will probably hide little fingerprints and bear cleanup better. Similarly, if you have a white cat, a light-colored couch is probably better than a navy blue one.
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Your home's style and solar orientation will also influence the best color choices. You may love deep, rich colors, but if the only windows in your room face north and your indoor lighting is poor, charcoal colored walls will produce a gloomy effect, rather than a handsome modern one.I often work with clients who have collected artworks, antiques or favored furnishings, and want to feature these in a room. In those cases, I will often create a custom color palette that is keyed to both complement and show off these treasures. The storyof Jane's Mediterranean Colors provides an example of doing that for my client Jane.
| Images at right: My client thought that her all-white living room looked like "the inside of a refrigerator" and wanted to make it feel more inviting. I suggested a color accent wall, and helped her visualize the change with the four computer graphic images shown here. The larger photo at the top is the finished room. |