The colors we surround ourselves with in our homes
can alter our mood, which is why it is important to choose the right
colors for the walls we have to look at every day.
Color
Psychology for Home Staging or Décor
This video explains that “the psychology of color is based on the
mental and emotional effects it has on a person…the colors
surrounding you can have [a] direct effect on your mood and affect
decisions made every day.”
Those who study art and colors know that there are warm colors and
cool colors to choose from. Warm colors grab attention. For example,
“red can raise someone's heart rate and make someone more accurate
when it comes paying attention to details.” Red can be used to
direct someone’s attention, and should be used as a highlight of
sorts to draw others to a decoration.
Yellow can feel warm and inviting to guests. The downside with
yellow is that “a little goes a long way; try using it as gold
accents in your decor or use yellow pops of flowers, pillows or
curtains in a dark room to cheer up the space.” Yellow is more of an
accent color, and too much yellow can turn people away.
Cool colors, like blue, can help us relax. Soothing colors in this
category can be used in a bedroom or a bathroom - anywhere that you
want people to relax and feel at ease.
Greens provide a balance of sorts. This video suggests to “try
adding greenery around your home to bring life into the space. You
can paint a bathroom or living room green to create a tranquil and
harmonious space.”
Neutral colors are good for breaking up other colors and letting the
eyes rest. Neutral colors are whites, grays, and various shades of
subtle colors. Grey is a popular neutral color being used right now
in homes, and it’s also a practical choice for background
coloration.
3 Bedroom
Paint Colors That Will Improve Your Sleep
This video focuses on color selection for the bedroom. It’s very
important to choose the right color for the bedroom, as a lot of
people spend a lot of time there, and it’s where a lot of people
sleep at night.
According to this video, the paint color on bedroom walls can either
encourage restfulness or detract from it. Here are some suggestions
on colors to use or avoid in this part of the home.
Blue is a good color for those wanting a good night’s
sleep as often as possible. According to this video, “studies have
shown that the color blue actually encourages rest, with the
receptors of the brain interacting with this color for a calming
experience.”
Shades of blue have been known to reduce the heart rate and promote
relaxation, and is recommended for those who enjoy their sleep.
Yellow is a rather welcoming color no matter the
shade. However, as mentioned before, large amounts of true yellow
can negatively impact sleep. Yellow is a very stimulating color, and
some people feel hungry when looking at yellow.
[to top of second column] |
According to this video, “the best way to incorporate
bright yellow into a bedroom is with an accent wall where the other
walls are painted a neutral color to balance out the brightness of
the paint.”
Green is a very calming color, associated with both stress-relief
and comfort. Shades of green work well in the bedroom, and this
video suggests “cooling mints and subdued greens such as sage which
are warm and friendly.”
On the side of spectrum, colors such as red, dark gray, purple and
orange should be avoided in a bedroom. Red encourages excitement and
can stimulate movement, and raises blood pressure and heart rates.
Purple is another over-stimulating color. Purple can increase
creativity as well as thinking, but that doesn’t help with sleeping.
The same is true of orange. According to the video, “orange is
another invigorating color and it releases emotions related to
fitness and activity. It is a high-impact, high-energy color that
will interfere with sleep patterns and cause restless nights.”
Dark gray should be avoided in the bedroom, but for the opposite
reason. People often associate dark gray with feelings of sadness,
or otherwise somber sensations. Because of this, a dark gray bedroom
can become a place to avoid, or lead to a focus on negative feelings
before bedtime.
How Lighting
Affects Paint Color
One final piece of advice to consider is to think about lighting
choices. Lighting in a room affects the color on the walls, which
can affect your mood. This last video demonstrates a few of the
different ways a light bulb alters color.
“Incandescent bulbs…provide warm light and make bright, warm colors
appear more intense,” says the narrator in the video. Cooler colors,
in contrast, will appear duller. For rooms with a lot of cool
colors, fluorescent bulbs are a better choice.
The third type of bulb, halogen bulbs, are closest to natural
sunlight. These bulbs “don’t distort color as much as the others.”
This is why when you choose paint, “it’s so important to check your
sample colors with the lighting of the room.” Flipping a switch can
change the entire appearance of the room, which can also change your
mood. This means that not only is color choice important, but so is
lighting, and you should consider both when painting a room.
|