When the time comes to repaint your home, how do you choose which colours should go where? How do you decide which colour will look good on your living room walls, and which you’d like to wake up to every day in your bedroom? Most, or let’s say, all of us pick up a colour chart and play the random card. What looks pleasing to the eye is what goes on the walls and the ceilings, too.

 

However, there is more to choosing colours than you might think. Each colour on the palette has an underlying meaning to it, a certain level of influence that it has on the residents of the room/house. The psychological value of each colour may depend on age, gender, background, etc., but they all have certain generalized values. Colour is not just an aesthetic, it can be used to generate or influence mood, thought and even desire. Groups of colours and their gradations into lighter or darker shades have this effect on most people. While other factors such as furniture, the design of the room, lighting, fabrics, furnishings, etc also affect the overall outcome, colour is what plays the principal role. For example, lighter colours make the room seem larger and airier. On the other hand, darker colours give a more sophisticated and intimate feel to a room. Too many colours can clutter a room, whereas single colours look too simple and give a slightly boring feel to the room.

 

Most of us do not spend much time thinking about room colours, but they influence us each day, which is why it is important to give some thought to it before decorating. Read on to find out more about basic colours and what they can do to a room.

 

 

• Blue

 

 

 

Blue is one of the most common colours used to paint a room, and there is a reason behind it. The colour blue is considered to have a calm, relaxing effect on the human mind, giving the feeling of serenity. This is why we see a lot of bedrooms in blue, unintentional as it may be. Blue can also bring down heart rate and slow down respiration, hence most hospital walls are painted blue so the patient can feel at peace.

If used wisely, even a subtle colour like blue can revamp your home. In the areas of your home where socializing is often done, such as living room or dining room, it is preferable to use darker shades of blue as it creates a warm feeling, such as turquoise or royal blue. However, if you go too dark, it might evoke a feeling of sadness. Paired with two or three shades of blue, this colour can suit your home extremely well.

 

 

• Red

 

 

 

Although red is a lesser used colour, it has many effects that we are ignorant to. The colour red is known to increase a room’s energy level. It is a very intense colour and is shown to increase heart rate, respiration speed, and blood pressure. Quite the opposite of blue, actually. It adds elegance to a room in a subtle manner. If used on a wall that is the first thing you see when you enter the house, it creates a strong and lasting first impression, since this colour has high recall value.

It is a good choice in rooms where the excitement is shown or sexual desires. Which is why red is suggested to be used on the wall exactly opposite to one’s bed. Dining rooms may also use this colour as it simulates conversation and interaction due to a heightened level of excitement in the room.

However, large amounts of dark red or crimson can evoke rage, hostility, and irritation; hence it should be avoided as the primary colour in a room.

 

 

• Yellow

 

 

 

Yellow might be deemed as “too bright” by many, but it is also the most energizing colour. It communicates joy and happiness. Many kitchens walls are adorned with some shade of yellow, as it is known to cheer a person up and get them enthused about an activity. Playschools use yellow often because of this reason. A well-lit room with subtle shades of yellow gives the perceived effect of sunshine and happiness.

However, if used too much as the main colour, yellow can induce anger as well. People are shown to have increased tempers in bright yellow interiors, especially when used in large amounts.  Frustration comes along with the same.

 

 

• Green

 

 

 

The colour green is associated with peace and tranquillity, which is why it is also, albeit unknowingly, one of the most commonly used colours for a home, especially the living room. It is perfect to be used as a primary colour for any room in the house. Green is considered as a restful colour. As it is a combination of blue and yellow, it also combines their characteristics of refreshing (blue) and cheerfulness (yellow). It encourages calmness, and togetherness, hence it is considered as a suitable colour for living rooms, especially for joint families or newly-weds.

This colour is also perfect for study rooms and personal libraries, as it has a relaxing effect on the mind and is also known to relieve stress to some level. Additionally, green also makes a good choice for the bedroom, as it is associated with fertility as well.

 

 

• Orange

 

 

 

Orange is a highly energetic colour. It is shown to induce enthusiasm and excitement. This is why this colour is perfect for gym rooms as it keeps the spirits up. It is also associated with childishness and playfulness, which may not make it suitable for living rooms or bedrooms. Orange as a primary colour is a horrible idea, especially if used in a bright shade. But if used correctly in exercise rooms, it invokes the right emotions necessary for the perfect workout.

Some cultures hold the belief that the colour orange is capable of healing lung problems. Isn’t that wild?

 

• Purple

 

 

 

Purple colour, again, is associated with elegance and sophistication. It brings out the richness of a room. Dark purple tones are good as a primary colour if the look you’re aiming for is luxurious and dramatic, but only if paired with the right kind of lighting and furnishings. Lighter versions of this colour such as lavender and lilac bring calmness to a room and are perfect for bedrooms. As a secondary colour, it can be paired with the lighter shades and bring class to any room. It is one of the few colours which, if used in a dark shade, doesn’t bring out negative emotions in a person.

 

 

• Pink

 

 

 

Pink is considered as a girly colour by many. But if used wisely, different shades of pink can mean many different things. A bright pink like fuchsia suggests energy and glamour. Lighter and more subtle shades create a soothing feeling in a room. Bedrooms are usually coloured pink as it is associated with fertility as well. When used in a darker tone such as raspberry or light magenta, this colour can create a feeling of warmth and make people look and feel good, in the reflected light of the colour. This is the reason living rooms are suggested to have gradations in the colour pink, as it can make guests feel more at home.

 

 

• Greyscale

 

 

 

Gray, black and white, or neutral colours are best if you wish for serenity in your home. With the right kind of lighting and properly toned furnishings, neutral colours can look great in your living rooms. Lighter shades of grey lend a feeling of delicateness while darker shades add sophistication and elegance to a room. Gray also provides a level of calmness and is perfect if you’re a lover of wooden furniture.

However, this colour is also considered too serious and sometimes dark and murky, hence it should be avoided as a single colour, but should be used with different tones of grey. Children’s rooms and playrooms are also advised not to be coloured with neutral shades, as it can be depressing to a child that does not grasp the concepts of glamour and sophistication very well.

 

Colours for Ceilings

 

Ceilings constitute one-sixth part of a room and are usually the most ignored area as well. People tend to keep ceilings white or very light blue or yellow as they are the best reflectors of light and generally, tube lights and bulbs are placed very close to the ceiling. While this is a good and safe idea, experimentation with ceiling colours can be done, too. Using the lightest possible tone of the primary colour used in a room (barring red) can serve the purpose of reflecting light well along with providing good aesthetics to your room. Light shades of blue paired with sufficiently good lighting also make for a beautiful room. Same goes for green and purple.

 

While choosing colours for your home shouldn’t be a huge task, a little time and effort spent on the same can play a huge role in affecting and stimulating moods for a long time. Since you plan on living in your home for a good amount of time, spending a fraction of that studying colour schemes and harmonies and the effects they cause will go a long way!

Check out this super easy & interesting DIY, That will keep your home looking beautiful.

7 Super Easy And Interesting DIY Home Decor Ideas

 Sources:

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