Ways to Incorporate Color Psychology in Your Home

December 29, 2017

Everywhere we turn we encounter stimuli and sensations that influence our mood: smells promised to lift our spirits, music that can calm us, movies and shows that can elicit tears. The design of our surroundings can play a big role in influencing our emotions, particularly when it comes to color. Which hues you choose for your home have the power to subtly alter the way you feel, whether you realize it or not. We will go over how color psychology works, how different colors can make you feel and choices you can make to make your home a calm and happy sanctuary.

What is color psychology?

Color psychology is the idea that certain colors can affect or persuade our emotions and decisions. When it comes to design, color dictates more than just feelings. It has the power to transform our perception as well, making a narrow room look wider or highlighting certain nooks or corners. Designers are well aware of the importance of color usage in a home and make decisions to reflect this. Of course, they also coordinate with lighting and accessories, and all of these things interplay to create a mood, but color serves as the foundation of the style.

Design by the rainbow

Most of the time, when moving into a new home, the paint, flooring and fixtures are relatively neutral, allowing homeowners the chance to add their personality through accessories, furniture and decor. Even if you are building a home, you will probably still stick to relatively neutral tones—with your own personal flair, of course—and complement your choices with fun tones for each area. We will break down color choice by the rainbow, giving you tips for how you can incorporate each shade throughout your home.

Razzle dazzle red

Red is a bold choice. It stands out and it makes a striking statement. Many associate red with increasing appetite—in fact, if you look around you will notice that an overwhelming number of restaurants incorporate red into their signage and/or decor. So red is an excellent choice for your kitchen or dining room. Notice how beautifully just simple touches of red stand out against the cool neutral grays of this Perry Homes kitchen.

Go orange for hospitality

Orange can be as bold as red, but its array of hues offers many different interpretations. From subtle amber to bright tangerine, orange comes in shades that are sure to please any style. Orange is a great welcoming color, so consider using it in your entryway or guest room. This entryway bench provides a nice place for guests to gather their things on the way in or out, and it makes a warm and inviting statement.

Say hello to yellow

Yellow is sunny and bright, and this lends well to rooms that are a bit smaller and need to be opened up with light. After moving in, you may decide to brighten up that back hallway or laundry room by adding an uplifting shade of yellow paint on the walls. Or you could go simpler with some artwork to adorn the powder room walls or a stunning bouquet of marigolds in a painted vase to add beauty to the laundry room shelves.

Go for green

Green is the perfect choice for rooms of reflection and contemplation. Representing growth and renewal, its soothing nature makes it suitable for bedrooms, living rooms or offices. The fun part about green is that it can offer a bold pop of color or be a part of a much softer color palette. Add a striking statement to your bedroom with an emerald green accent wall. Stock your office with green accents to spark your creativity.

Have the blues

Whether navy, periwinkle or azure, blue has the power to instill you with a sense of calm. For this reason, it is one of the most popular choices for bedrooms, whether for paint on the walls or the comforter that warms you at night. Create various moods by pairing blue with other colors—deep blue with rich green for a regal look, or aqua blue with teal for a beach-inspired feel.

Royal purple

Purple is an interesting color, as it combines the bold excitement of red with calm and tranquil blue. So the shade of purple you choose will greatly influence the mood of a room. Deep shades of purple like eggplant can bring an aura of sophistication to any room and would be perfect in an elegant dining room or bedroom. Brighter shades of purple would be perfect for a child’s bedroom.

No matter which colors you choose for your home, the most important thing is that it makes you happy. Design is subjective, so feel free to break any of the rules or make your own.