Imagine a world without color! Color delivers an emotional ambience into our worlds like nothing else and though it seems that basic survival needs are not necessarily dependant on color we do hear of seasonal affective disorder -- an illness deemed to be due to the lack of light. Darkness holds little to no color. For within the lights rays colors are displayed and our innermost emotions are stimulated
Colors do affect our psyche... that has been determined and color can set the tone as if it were spoken in a whisper. Very subtle yet very clear. Not heard with the ears, but seen with the eyes and felt with the heart. It is not surprising then that color plays a very important and intricate role in interior decorating. Your furniture, your drapes, your walls will speak a mood and tone to everyone who sets eyes on them. It is important therefore to take a moment to think about the message you wish to deliver.
As every room of your home and workspace serves it’s own special function, every color in these spaces should also match these prescribed functions. It would not serve well to set a somber mood in a child's playroom, or splash vibrant enthusiasm and energy in a formal board room. The aesthetics have to match the theme and intended use of the room design or the audience will feel uncomfortable. Much research has gone into what is now refereed to as the psychology of color. Let’s take a quick look at what they have learned.
Red...
This is the color of primal energy, it is dramatic and intense. Symbolic for passion, strength , motivation and physical drive. It is a color that can rouse us to activity and fill us with energy to get things done. It is the pioneering spirit, the revolutionist, and the extrovert. It is a color that alerts , excites and motivates. Positive red can give us feelings of warmth, friendship and excitement. Red is empowering in meeting rooms, speakers tend to be fiery. It is often used in bars to create a cozy environment, and to encourage people to talk. It increases body temperature and stimulates blood circulation. However too much red can leave a person feeling drained and constantly tired, and create an aggressive angry impulse.
Orange and Yellow...
These are uplifting colors, stimulating and enlivening. Orange is the color most closely associated with joy and excitement. It sparks movement , creativity, dance and self expression. It promotes a sociable sporty, and good natured demeanor. It is warming, enchanting and captivating. While yellow is more connected with ego and in some instances fosters a feeling of detachment. Being warm and optimistic, yellow is closely associated with the sun. It is the color of detachment and is related to control. It stimulates our intellect and logical mind as well as helping with the digestive process. Too much yellow however results in excessive mental stimulation, ego, detachment and argument.
Although orange and yellow radiate distinctly different energies, both are warm and optimistic colors with the ability to clear our minds, brighten our moods and raise our spirits. It encourages creativity, excitement vibrancy and humor. However too much exposure to orange will create emotions of fear, uneasiness, and shyness, as well as irresponsibility.
Green...
Green is the color mostly associated with balance, harmony, nature, and healing. Especially when the healing is heart related. In the middle of the visible spectrum, it is considered neither hot or cold. It is honest, stable and reliable. It is the color of kindness, compassion, caring, and sharing. Green is viewed as comforting to the soul as well as stress relieving. Green is not conducive to argument or conflict. It reminds us of the healing that can come from nature, connecting us to the unconditional, nurturing and constant support we receive from our world. When life gets out of hand, the green of the grass, plants, and trees are there to soothe us.
Too much green can over stimulate the emotions, causing one to be overcautious, and overly sensitive. On the negative side, green is associated with envy or a desire unfulfilled..."the green eyed monster"... this is a term used when the heart is not balanced; add a little red as a grounding to subdue "the green eyed monster." Too much of any one color will create an imbalance of energy with detrimental consequences. Perhaps that is why our world is not grey scale.
Turquoise and Aquamarine
This mixture of green and blue holds a youthful, vibrant, and invigorating characteristics. It is the color of pure fresh glacial water, it is the color of cool.. Turquoise induces clarity and the flow of communication. It soothes away tension, and can help when we feel vulnerable and nervous. It calms the mind and helps to promote clarity of thought. Too much however will foster feelings of insecurity, isolation, and confusion.
Blue...
This is the color of calm. It cools, pacifies, comforts and helps unwind down our day. Blue induces us to take am more leisurely pace. It has been documented to slow down the heart beat, blood pressure and breathing. Blue is also the color for communication, imagination, as well as inner strength. Bringing to you quiet, peace and serenity. It is also a color that has qualities that provide healing of pain: such as burns and pre-menstrual conditions. We absorb colors in many ways, through our eyes, in the food we eat, and through our shin. Too much absorption of blue in any environment could induce laziness, depression, apathy detachment and introversion.
Purple...
The color of meditation! Purple helps to develop insight and perception. It can center, and help you feel more balanced and in touch with yourself and the world around you. It is a lofty color, often used by kings and successful people, perhaps because of it’s associations with impact and intensity. It is considered to be a very influencing color. Purple unites two extremes of the color spectrum: energetic red, and calming blue; and is said to elevate or heighten your five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and and smell.
Too much purple will however induce a low sense of self worth and inferiority. It will leave you feeling detached from the world, as well as develop a tendency to feel distracted and dreamy.
Pink...
The color most associated with love and romance. It is gentle, soft, and soothing. It is the nurturing color of tenderness and compassion. A color of unconditional and spiritual love, yet too much of it can lead to excessive daydreaming and arrogance. Pinks can reinforce positive and reassuring protective influences. It can help steady overactive behavior, as well as have the ability to induce the desire for change.
Brown...
This is the most grounded of all colors. Because of it’s down to earth feel it allows us to feel rooted and connected, thus supplying us with a constant force of energy and inspiration. The color of commitment and security. Brown is strong, sound, silent and reliable. An excess of brown however can hold you back from change and progress.
Grey...
Quiet and laid back, it is often used to support and assist hues from other parts of the spectrum. Framing and encasing some, while subduing and toning down others. A world without the quiet shades of grey lack structure, dimension, sustenance and support. it is why we shadow 3D objects in are with grey tones.
Though all colors can benefit from the presence of grey, if grey is allowed to dominate it will make you feel uncommitted as well as leading to feelings of fear and negativity.
You can heal, motivate, and subdue your environment with splashes of color as you can see. One thing is for sure, as anything else in life a healthy dose of balance and blending goes a long way to a healthy and happy mind body and soul. Too much of anything is never a good idea regardless of how much you like it. Color is no exception. With a little forethought in what you want to set as a tone for your re-decoration efforts, you will be able to create any environment imaginable with great success. Whether it be a splash of paint or to breathe new life into your favorite treasured furniture by reupholstering them, careful color considerations before hand will make or break your efforts to re-vitalize your life.
