Can Color Change Your Room?

We all have our own favourite color and every interior decorator has their favorite colors too. We accept it as a fact of life really. The question is this - have you ever wondered what impact different colors might have on different rooms?  Also check out our article on the impact of strong paint colors for more on how paint colors can affect the feel of your room.

Some people don't believe that color has an impact on how room a feels - I couldn't disagree more strongly. We rely heavily on our sight for our basic perceptions of the world around us. Color plays a major part in this. For example ask most people what they associate the color red with and they'll instantly say danger.

The Associations of Different Colors

Let's have a look at the different colors and what they mean to our decorating efforts.

White has been the color of purity for thousands of years. It's a color also associated with sterility which is why it's used so often in bathrooms. White can be used in any room for any decorating project especially as it can be used to 'join' two other colors together.

Black is a very powerful color and changes the whole feel of a room. Decorating a room entirely in black is not a good idea as prolonged exposure to it can lead to depression.

 

 

Blue can be used in any room as long as it's contrasted with another color. Overuse of blue can make a room look and feel very cold. If you have a home office then blue might be a color to consider as studies show that people in blue rooms are actually more productive.

 

Brown is a very earthy color and its tones suggest comfort and warmth so it is often used in living rooms and studies in many homes. However, brown is a luxurious color that should be used sparingly as too much brown in any room can make it feel enclosed and dreary.

 

Gray is a conservative color that can give a room a very 'clean' and formal feel to it. This color should be used very sparingly in decorating or painting projects as it can make rooms feel very 'boring' very quickly.

 

Yellow is a very powerful color. It suggests warmth, richness and happiness and can have a magical effect on a room. A room painted entirely in yellow is not, however, a good idea. Such is the power of this color that it can cause headaches and nausea when used too much.

 

Pink is a very effeminate color so should only be used in rooms where the desired effect is to be very feminine. Using pink whimsically throughout a room can quickly make it look gaudy, tacky and cheap.

 

Green is a very fresh color to use in almost any room. It especially suits bathrooms and childrens rooms because of the feeling of nature it gives. Green can have a very calming effect so it is also a color that could possibly be used, sparingly, in bedrooms.

 

Orange is vibrant and alive. It's an exciting color that stimulates the mind. You can use orange in any room that you would like to have an energetic feel to it.

 

Red is one of the most powerful colors you can use. It suggests strength, passion and even has aggressive overtones to it. Ideas for the use of red include dining rooms and kitchens as the color red has been known to stimulate the appetite.

 

Hopefully now you have a better understanding of just how important color schemes and choosing the right colors can be to your room.  Check out our other articles on choosing paint color for more information on how to decide on the right color for your room.  Also get more information on the effects of color in your room, how to choose a color from the many color selections available, how to make sure you have chosen the right paint, how to prepare your room for painting, and how to buy the right painting tools.

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