You don’t have to pop a pill to rev up or calm down; you can rely on color to change your mood! Wall paints, as well as the colors in furniture and accessories, all help designers create moods. Rich colors make small rooms feel larger and expansive, and large rooms to feel more intimate. Daring and bold colors command attention. Warm colors feel cozy. Let’s look at how colors change the way we feel.
Red is stimulating and heightens our senses. Red adds drama and excitement when used as the main color in a small space like a powder room. Red with a touch of brown or purple feels warmer and more welcoming than pure red with hints of pink. Orange-tinged reds make us feel energized, while purpled shades of red make spaces feel intimate and are quieting. An earthy red used with wood tones will warm a room making it feel masculine, while red with soft gray and touches of magenta make a room feel cozy, feminine and soft.
Orange is hard to beat for a jolt of energy. Orange has a reputation for being overwhelming, but variations like coral, apricot and terra cotta inspire relaxation. Deep orange feels bold during the day but cozy and warm at night. It doesn’t take a lot of orange perk up a room. The brighter the orange, the less you need to use. Orange draws the eye, so make sure you use it on the place you want noticed.
Yellow is a good choice for feeling optimism. Yellow stimulates the nervous system, activates memory, promotes communication, sparks creativity and prompts feelings of happiness and cheer. Muted yellows infuse a room with peace. Warm tone yellows are comfortable and welcoming. Saturated yellow walls create the illusion of light in dark spaces. The glow of buttery yellow walls will make a room feel cozy.
Green soothes the senses. A bathroom with bluish-green surfaces mixed with gray and white décor creates a relaxing spa atmosphere. If you want drama, a small powder room can become a luxurious jewel box by painting its walls a rich, Kelly green. Kitchens feel larger with sea-green cabinets. Deep spruce or rich evergreen add a hushed mood to a home office or library. Accents of lime green will crank up the energy in a mostly white room.
Blue can be calming or energizing, depending on its color temperature. Sapphire is a high-energy toned blue and it adds a bold punch of energy. Light sky blue walls makes your space tranquil and serene. Dark navy shades lend themselves to drama, while paler tints will expand small spaces. The way blue feels in a room depends entirely on its tint or tone.
Purple feels quiet or dramatic depending on the amount of calming blue or exciting red it contains. Purple adds richness to large space and mystery and drama to smaller ones. Light lavender-gray walls add softness. Neon-purple walls with gray stripes have a brave, edgy feeling. Eggplant adds sophistication. Mid-tone purple is enlivening when paired with mustard yellow and olive. Purples combined with soft blues or greens creates a tranquil setting. Alternately, a few strategically placed purple accents may be all you need to create a whole new feel to your surroundings.
Experiment before you commit a color to your walls. Did you know most paint companies have online tools to help you visualize your color choices in different room settings? Why not use their color tools to virtually try before you buy their paints? It can take the fear out of choosing a mood altering color. Be creative and experiment a little to find just the right color prescription for your mood of choice.
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