How paint colors impact thoughts & moods

HOW PAINT COLORS IMPACT THOUGHTS AND MOODS

-Charles Graves Painting

Our professional licensed designer, Andrea, has 29 years of experience and will be able to help you create a professionally designed, custom and beautiful look based on your desires, wants and needs. We give all of our customers for full-home (70% of home or more being painted) free in-person design consults, once they have committed to going with us! She will also help match your color scheme with your existing floors, kitchens, furniture, items, etc.

When picking out your colors, it is important to consider the aesthetics and design aspects in order to come up with the best color scheme/selections. However, it's equally important to consider the psychology behind colors- how colors make you feel, what moods they create, and what images and thoughts they evoke in the mind.

Listed below are the different main colors, and what moods and images they tend to evoke in most viewers (although culture or personal tastes may cause variances, these are general rules). Keep in mind every person's experience with colors can be different, but the science tends to be pretty accurate for the vast majority of viewers.

NEUTRAL COLORS:

WHITE- The color white evokes feelings of safety, purity, freshness, and cleanliness. It also looks cold, bland, blank and sterile. The color white appears to largen a room, improves lighting and brightness, and accentuates different colors. The color white is often used as a secondary (background) color which accentuates the main colors. White is usually used on ceilings, trim, blinds, and other objects if the goal is to make a room appear larger. Knowing where and how to use white, and in what amounts, is one of the core components to creating an effective design scheme and creating an effective mood. Wood and glass accents go extraordinarily well with white, as do bits of black to balance it out. White is used in huge amounts in minimalist-theme homes, and is typically used on ceilings/walls in colonial homes and modern-style homes.

Interestingly, a recent study on adults' color preferences showed that out of 18 total colors, white only ranked fifteenth as the overall favorite color. It fared slightly better when the same adults were asked to rank their favorite color in clothing, coming in at tenth. When asked to choose their favorite colors for their home environment, however, white was overwhelmingly the number one favorite for all the listed rooms: living rooms, bedrooms, offices, and meeting rooms. White was also ranked number one for evoking moods of quietness and concentration.

White is a very common color for ceilings and trim, and is seen as the standard, for many reasons. However, some people prefer to make a statement by making certain trims or certain ceilings- or perhaps all ceilings or all trim- a different color. Because of the high-risk, high-reward nature of this, it's extremely recommended that you consult with our professional designer, Andrea, prior to partaking in this. An exception is coffered ceilings- making this a splash of color (generally your secondary color) is standard in design. Although, in general, you will have the best results and satisfaction by far with Andrea's helpful assistance. :)

GRAY- The color gray is currently very in style. It is the most neutral color, consisting of a combination between black and white (although some grays have hints of brown/tan in them). Gray is a detached, impartial color. Gray fits in very well from a design perspective, especially with more modern homes, as it goes with black and white, and almost any accent wall colors can be made to go with it. The downside is that some may see gray as bland, boring, or sometimes even depressing. Others, however, like it and the calming and secure feeling it evokes.

From a color psychology perspective, gray is a compromise color- naturally, as it is a mix between two neutral (non) colors. The closer gray gets to black, the more dramatic, bold, gothic, and mysterious it becomes. The brighter and closer it gets to white, the more illuminating, bright, happy, energetic and lively it becomes (to a point). Gray is emotionless, stable, and provides a feeling of calm, peace, monotony and structure.

People who's favorite color is gray, tend to conform, like to fit in, want a safe, secure, and enjoyable life but like to take minimal risks and don't want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves- or their home. Gray can be mixed with hints of blue, or green, to achieve varying looks.

However- keep in mind- because gray is so wildly popular (at least right now- that can always change), a ton of customers are choosing gray even if they do not personally love it, because it is so popular. Because of this, it's highly recommended to currently go with grays on the interior of home, when repainting for sale, and to go with popular neutrals on the exterior. If you are planning to live in the home for an extended period of time, the designer can help you figure out which is the best color scheme for you, your goals, and tastes.

PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND TERTIARY COLORS:

BLUES- Blue is a color often found in nature such as the pale blue of a daytime sky or the rich dark blue of a deep pool of water. It is for this reason perhaps that people often describe the color blue as calm and serene. Yet as a cool color, blue can sometimes seem icy, distant, or even cold. Blue is the favorite color of men, and it evokes feelings of calmness and tranquility. Too much blue on the inside can actually sometimes bring about feelings of sadness, depression or lack of appetite, so it's recommend not to overdo blue on the interior of your home. However, used in the right amounts, it has a calming and grounding effect. Blue also reduces appetite, so it's not recommended in kitchens unless that is the goal. With that said: Different non-neutral colors such as blue often have different effects on different people. When considering colors, it's important to keep this in mind and also reflect with yourself on how certain colors make you feel. Blue, and gray-blue blends, or tan and blue combos, are all great for bedrooms, as blue creates a feeling of calm and relaxation, lowers stress, and improves sleep. This color can be used in subtle hues as your main color, (especially if it's used as a hint in a gray color), used in bedrooms, or it can be used as an accent wall. Some ways to get a splash of blue are with accent walls (or a hint of blue in your main color, generally gray), pillows with a hint of blue, pictures that contain blue (like the ocean, or waves, or rivers, etc), a sapphire in a chandelier, etc. Note for all non-neutral colors: there are other creative ways of getting a splash of color besides these listed, these are just a few basic ideas.

REDS- The color red is a color that shows passion, romance, intensity, and/or strength. It brings out a feeling of warmth, temperature-wise. It evokes emotions such as energy, passion, excitement, or- in some cases- anger. Red is stimulating and attention-grabbing. Red, like blue, is a great accent wall color, and in certain tastes or cultures it can be used in conjunction with other warm colors like california orange, yellows, tans, etc throughout the main level or home to create a warm, energetic, rich, and lively mood. It can be used as a statement, because it exudes confidence. Some great ways to get a splash of red are with accent walls, pictures that contain a lot of red, pillows, etc.

GREEN- The color green is a grounding color. It creates a sense of harmony with nature, tranquility, and serenity. For many, it is a relaxing and calming color, although some other people will feel blue to be more calming. Green imbues a feeling of the outdoors, plants, woods, etc. Green creates a sense of health and well-being, and is great for yoga and meditation rooms, and sometimes spas. This color also helps create a connection to the outdoor/ natural world, and can be used on walls as accent colors, or indirectly (not on walls) with well-placed plants or pillows or emerald in chandeliers, as an accent (10%) color.

ORANGE- Orange is a mix of red and yellow, and orange-tan blends combine red, yellow, and brown to create a custom appearance. Orange evokes feelings of excitement, energy, and- like red, although to a lesser extent- warmth. Orange is a great accent color and attention-grabber. In certain cultures or schemes, it may be used in conjunction with red, yellow, tans, and other warm colors to create a vibrant, energetic, warm and inviting feeling. Like all primary, secondary or tertiary colors, it's not recommended for resale of homes because it will not appeal to the majority of buyers, due to it's specific nature. Orange will slightly help creativity and mood, but it will greatly reduce concentration and can impact sleep quality. Neither red or orange are recommended in children's or adult's bedrooms (especially children's bedrooms, as they have schoolwork) for this reason, although it is ultimately up to the client what they would like most.

YELLOW-

PURPLE-

BLACK- The color black is created by the complete absence of light. Black walls look black because the pigments within the black paint absorb all the light hitting it, and do not reflect colors of the light spectrum at you.

Black is slimming- it makes clothes look smaller, and it also makes rooms or surfaces look smaller. For this reason alone, black is rarely used in small homes for pretty much any painted surface, except occasionally as an accent. Black is important in Feng Shui, and in Feng Shui it is known to create feelings of power, mystery, and calm. Historically, black has been seen as an image of power, and also an image of evil or darkness. In many cultures, it's also associated with mourning. For this reason, black has a depressing quality, along with the feelings of power, mystery and calm. A common practical use for black walls is either chalkboard walls (great for kids or even businesspeople to draw on, if they wish), or as accent walls.