Using Color Psychology to Select Paint Colors

The right color scheme can bring a sense of cohesiveness to your home. Color can even affect your mood and impact how family and friends feel when visiting your home. Color psychology experts study the effect that different colors have on people’s moods and emotions. Marketing and branding experts understand the power of using color psychology to influence customers’ buying decisions.

Artists and interior designers have long believed that color can dramatically impact moods, feelings, and emotions. Homeowners can now use color psychology to help choose paint colors to create the right mood for different rooms in their homes.

Paint Colors and Mood

Let’s take a look at how some popular paint colors can help create the right mood for your home.

Blue is Relaxing

Blue evokes feelings of nature and creates a relaxing feel. It is a color that most people relate to positively and creates a sense of safety and security for many. Blue is a good choice for bedrooms as it helps promote relaxation. Blue is also popular for living rooms, home offices or studies, and bathrooms.

Green is Calming

Green represents balance, harmony, and nature. Green helps create a restful environment which is why spas often use shades of green to create a sense of calm and relaxation. Green interior walls help reduce stress and are suitable for living rooms, home offices, or any room where you want a sense of peace.

Yellow is Cheerful

Yellow is an energizing color that can brighten a room and your spirit. The right shade of yellow catches the sunlight and creates a cheerful, lively environment. Kitchens and playrooms are excellent places to experiment with yellow.

Red is Energetic and Passionate

Red is a dominant color, and it is the first color people notice. Associated with high energy, passion, and adventure, red is exciting. Red is known to stimulate appetite and, for this reason, is frequently used in commercial restaurants as well as home kitchens. Use red anywhere you want to create a sense of energy.

White Represents Purity

White is associated with cleanliness and purity. White remains a popular interior paint color choice because it creates a sense of openness, especially in small spaces. There are cool, warm, and pure whites to choose from, so you can find a white paint to complement any room and design style.

Choosing Paint is Not Just About Color

A lot of factors go into choosing the right paint for your home. Before selecting paint colors, consider the following:

• Color Temperature – Choosing the right color starts with understanding the difference between warm and cool colors. Warm colors are reds, oranges, and yellows; cool colors are blues, greens, and purples. Warm colors evoke a cozy feeling and make a large room feel more intimate. On the other hand, cool colors usually make rooms feel larger and more relaxing.
• Undertones – Paint color undertones occur because, aside from the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow, every other color is a mixture of different colors. That’s why there are so many different variations of the same colors. It’s also why whites can look pink or blue in certain lighting conditions.
• Paint Finish – The gloss or sheen of the paint you select will significantly impact how the color looks on your walls. A glossy finish will reflect more light and look shiny, while a matte finish will absorb more light and have a flat appearance.
• Lighting – You should never select paint colors inside a store. The fluorescent lighting changes how paint colors look to our eyes and perceive the undertones. The natural light and the interior lighting in your home can significantly impact how a paint color will look in a particular space.
• Test Before You Buy – Most major paint companies, including Sherwin Williams, have numerous online resources that help make choosing paint colors easier. After you’ve narrowed down your choices, use large paint swatches to determine what looks best in your home under different lighting conditions.

When choosing paint colors for a particular room, consider the room’s primary purpose, the mood you want to create, and how the lighting will impact the colors you choose. Of course, each person responds differently to colors, so individual preferences are always an important consideration when selecting paint colors for your home.

Let the Professional House Painters Help

 Walla Painting is a locally owned business that specializes in residential painting. Our fully insured, bonded, and skilled painters can handle any project. We are proud to have received Angie’s List Super Service Award 10 years in a row for our customer service and detailed workmanship.

We serve Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville, Noblesville, Fishers, and McCordville homeowners. We offer residential interior and exterior painting and cabinet and trim painting. Contact us online or at (317) 620-0695 for a free estimate.