Drab, dreary days got you down? Many people feel the “ho-hums” of winter with grey skies and brown, lifeless trees everywhere. One way to change your mood is to change the colors around you. There have been many scientific studies about how different colors have a dramatic effect on our moods. The saying, “Color Me Happy!” really is true!
According to Leslie Harrington, a noted expert on the use of color in both residential and industrial décor, “Color is a universal, nonverbal language, and we all intuitively know how to speak it. What color you paint your walls isn’t just a matter of aesthetics. It’s a tool that can be leveraged to affect emotions and behavior.”
Here are some color ideas the experts recommend:
Living room and foyer paint colors. Warm tones like reds, yellows, and oranges, and earth tones like brown and beige often work well in both the living room and foyer, because they’re thought to stimulate conversation.
Kitchen paint colors. Color consultants say that if you have fond memories of spending time in the kitchen when you were a kid, it might make sense to recreate the color scheme in your grown-up kitchen. If there’s no particular paint scheme you remember fondly, reds and yellows can be great colors in the kitchen as well as in the living room and foyer. But be careful if you’re watching your weight: in addition to stimulating conversation, color experts say that red may prompt you to eat more, if only subtly. “If you’re on a diet, you might want to keep red out of the kitchen,” Harrington says, adding that the restaurant industry has long recognized the appetite-stimulating power of red decor.
Dining room paint colors. Because it’s stimulating, red decor can be great for a formal dining room. In addition to encouraging conversation, it whets the appetites of your guests. “If your dining room is red, people may think you are a better cook,” says Harrington.
Bedroom paint colors. The bedroom is where you go to relax. Cool colors — blues, greens and lavenders — can be great choices here, because they are thought to have a calming effect. The darker the hue, the more pronounced the effect is believed to be. “Reds tend to increase blood pressure and heart rate and stimulate activity,” says Harrington. “Blue does just the opposite. That’s why we think of it as calming.”
Other rooms. As you walk through your home, think of the room’s purpose and use color to set the mood. Blues, greens, lavenders, and greys are calming, peaceful colors. Green is also the color of concentration, making it a great choice for offices or study areas. Reds and oranges get you moving in a workout room, but can also make you feel hot. For this reason, Harrington suggests that yellow-greens and blue-greens may be the best choices because, in terms of color psychology, they’re “happier.”
If you want your home’s colors to reflect positive feelings and bring your family out of the hum-drums of winter, call Castle Painting and Home Services at 214-725-3464. Owner Clay Kinser will personally sit down with you to discuss your needs. Estimates are always free.