Color Impressions
Based on experience (and sometimes related to culture), people develop perceptions of color that can affect everything from mood to behavior. Here’s a look at some of the colors often seen in homes and what they impress upon those who see them:
- White symbolizes cleanliness and elegance. White will often make a room feel very clean—but be careful: too much white feels sterile and cold.
- Black indicates sadness or sorrow, but also mystery and drama. Black functions best at making other colors pop.
- Blue reminds people of the ocean, peace, and honesty. It’s been proven to be calming, but it’s also been proven to be least appetizing, so skip blue in rooms where you eat—unless you’re trying to cut back!
- Pink indicates youth, softness, and romance. Opt for accent touches to add softness to a room.
- Purple symbolizes power, royalty, and dignity. It can be calming when used in a design, so add it in rooms for a pop of color, a little drama, or relaxation.
- Green is all about freshness and nature. It can be extremely calming, and it’s appropriate for any room. Green is a great color for decorating, and it’s becoming more and more popular.
- Red evokes passion and excitement. Red will draw attention to things, so if there’s a particular room, wall, or feature you want people to notice, red is the way to make that happen.
- Yellow reminds people of sunlight, happiness, and warmth. It is tiring on the eyes, though, so use lighter shades on walls or use it as an accent to inject happiness into a room.
- Orange gives off energy and excitement. If it fits your mood, you can make a whole room orange! Just make sure you set it off with some more neutral tones.
