With the endless variety of colors
available these days, picking the right color scheme for your
home becomes a challenge. It’s advisable to choose
colors wisely, as the colors ultimately set the tone for your
home. Let’s begin by finding out how colors have
an effect one’s mood.
COLORS AND MOOD
Colors influence our
moods, our energy levels, and appetites. Certain colors elicit
a ber response than others. Some colors inspire,
while others energize, some soothe, and others enliven.
Colors like red, orange and yellow, referred to as warm colors,
invoke images like fire, heat and sunshine.
Cool colors like blue, green and violet elicit images
of pastures and oceans that make us feel tranquil and relaxed.
So blue would be an ideal color for a bedroom, owing
to its soothing effect. However, this same soothing blue also
works as an appetite suppressant, perhaps since few
naturally blue food exist. So painting your dining room blue
would be a bad choice, instead opt for red – the
color of passion, energy and also a great stimulant for appetite.
Red is also a popular choice used by restaurants.
Orange and red are perfect for family rooms and children’s
bedrooms. Yellow should be used with caution, as it’s
a color that grabs attention and a bright yellow may
even cause anxiety in elderly, children and infants. Yellow
can be used in poorly lit hallways, preferably in
areas that need to be highlighted; offices make liberal
use of this color. Greens work well in bathrooms,
living rooms and as an excellent accent for kitchens and
dining rooms.
A FEW TIPS ON USING COLORS
Select mood tone: Decide on the type
of mood you want to set for your rooms, depending on that,
choose warm or cool colors.
White: If you decide to choose white
make sure you compare the paint chips with your fabrics and
flooring to ensure they’re the same type
of white.
Test the color under different lights:
It’s always advisable to check the color out in natural,
incandescent or fluorescent light. The best thing would
be to take it to the room you plan to use it in and test it there.
Bold colors: Be cautious while using
bold colors, they may appear attractive on TV or magazines.
But you may bore of them quickly. They also tend to
dominate the room and create a smaller space.
Ceilings: Typically ceilings are painted white
or off white, this creates an illusion of open spaces. If
you want a cozy feel to your room, use darker
colors. If you have a medium height ceiling, avoid dark colors
as this would close in the area and give it a
cave like appearance.
