As I was standing in front of the “great wall” of paint swatches, I wondered if paint color could completely change your mood. So I decided to do a little research. I wanted to find out if colors affect your mood. If so, in what ways? Do colors have the same effect or response on everyone? This would help me make my decision on what home paint colors I would ultimately pick.
The reaction to color is often profoundly individual and established in your personal life experience or upbringing. Color can affect your performance. Ultimately, experts have found that while color can determine how we feel and act, these effects are controlled by the individual, society, and our environment.
Does Color Affect Your Mood
Research shows that color does affect your mood. Though perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, some colors have universal meaning.
For instance, colors on the cooler side of the spectrum like blues, greens, and purples tend to have a calming effect, but can also cause sad emotions. Colors on the warmer side like red, yellow, and orange can make a person feel happy, warm, or have an adverse effect of anger and aggression.
How Does Color Affect Different People?
Let’s take a look at a few different colors and their powerful effect on people. The results were interesting.
Black is used in the commercial world to signify power or luxury. This might be the reason why black is the most popular color for luxury vehicles. People often describe the color as sexy, powerful, mysterious, and even ominous.
White makes most people think of something as pure, clean, and or sterile and cold.
Red can make you think something is powerful, fast, aggressive, or takes charge.
Blue, makes people think of safety or calm like a blue sky after a storm.
Check this out, “… a new YouGov survey conducted in 10 countries across four continents shows that one color – blue – is the most popular across the board. Between 23% (in Indonesia) and 33% (in Great Britain) like blue most out of the colors listed, putting it 8-18 points ahead of any other color.”
So, color does speak to us. Depending on many factors such as advertising, culture, and where we live in the world, color makes us think and feel differently. Based on these factors, it makes sense that color will affect us in different ways. So the childhood question “what’s your favorite color” is just that, yours.
How To Decide on Colors For Your Home
With all the thousands of color choices out there, it’s understandable if choosing one is hard. Let’s take a step back; think about how different colors make you feel.
Which colors make you feel sad, gloomy, or just don’t make you feel anything? These colors you can push aside with certainty they will not work. Now, look at what colors are left. Do these colors make you feel happy, relaxed, or calm?
How do you figure out what colors are your favorite?
Here are two foolproof ways to find out.
- Take a quick look in your closet. What color clothing do you tend to buy? More than likely, it’s your favorite color.
- Scan the rooms that you spend the most time in at home. What color are your favorite pieces of decor like pillows, rugs, or curtains?
Take note of wood tones, tile, and flooring colors in your home. Next, place your color swatches together near those elements to make sure they complement each other.
Samplize.com has a genius way to preview paint without the mess. You can order peel & stick samples made with real paint from your favorite brands.
Here are some other things to take note of:
- How much light does the room or rooms get throughout the day?
- What is the size of your room?
- Which tasks will be done in this area?
How Long Will You Be Owning Your Home?
If you do not see you and your family staying in this home for more than 2-5 years, it is a good idea to select colors that are medium to light tones or neutral. Touch-ups are all you’ll need to do.
Instead, if this is your forever home you can freely pick colors that you love. To keep from having to repaint sooner than is needed, look for more classic timeless colors. If a trend comes that you love, just buy it in decor. Throw pillows, curtains and throws are less expensive than repainting your rooms all over again.
In conclusion, hopefully, the “great wall” of paint swatches isn’t so intimidating now. You have narrowed down the color family. Now, it’s a matter of picking out the right shade of that color.
Who Can I Call to Paint My Home?
Are you looking for a professional painting contractor to tackle your interior painting needs in Raleigh NC? We are painting contractors and service Raleigh, Apex, Cary and the surrounding areas. Call or text us today to set up your free reliable estimate with Benchmark Painting & Carpentry, your professional Raleigh NC painters. Look for us on Facebook.
