How Color Choices Effect a Room Design

There is no doubt that we are all drawn to certain colors.  Anyone over the age of 3 can tell you what their favorite color is. There are a number of factors that play into our likes and dislikes.

Picture the cool blue Caribbean waters.

What words come to mind?

Refreshing?

Relaxing?

Crystal clean?

Joy?

There is no doubt that colors trigger an emotional response within us. There have been decades of research attributed to understanding how colors trigger actions or moods. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese utilized chromotherapy, or color therapy, to treat various conditions or ailments. But color psychology over the course of history has been hard to prove because of individualized preferences and cultural differences. So accessing how a color makes YOU feel is the most important aspect of understanding how colors influence us.  And how best to use them in interior design.

Have you ever thought about why most girls ask for their rooms to be essentially the vibrant, energetic colors of the Caribbean?

I made that connection when I was on vacation in March of 2018.  We were staying at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana.

I was seeing colors that reflected projects that I was working on in the local art, the decor, the architecture, the clothes, and even the sunset.

I snapped a picture of the gate above as inspiration. And that’s when I realized how often I am working within these color palettes:

Vibrant Pinks

Bright Teals

Corals and Oranges

Bold Tropical Greens

They represent excitement, energy, and, an almost, carefree enjoyment of life.

They are HAPPY colors. And isn’t HAPPY a great thing to want to be?

For some of us, YES!

Or maybe we enjoy the feeling of being in control:

Rich Purples

Or soft serene colors inspire us:

Pale Aquas

Soft Milky Blues

Or we really feel comforted in our femininity:

Dusty Pale Pinks

Or boldly creative:

Cobalt

Indigo

Different colors trigger different areas in our brains.  These triggers can be cultural, historical, or based on previous life experiences.  Studies have shown that there are universal effects that colors can have.  But both traumatic and extremely happy experiences can override the natural response that is triggered in our brains. 

Eastern traditions tie different colors to the different energy centers in the body, also known as Chakras.

Color can be placed strategically around a room to activate the different emotions that we want to feel in different spaces based on how we use the space.

Mixing colors can be an effective way to create balance in a room that has a lot of functions.  A room that is filled with bright vibrant color can be hard to fall asleep in.  A room that is full of soft pastels can be hard to concentrate in.

There is so much joy in walking into a room that makes you feel the way that you want to feel.

When I start working with a client on a bedroom design, the first question that I always ask is:

“How do you want this space to make you feel?”

In that answer, I can determine so many things about how to tailor my client’s wants and needs into the planning of the design: the colors we choose and how we use them intentionally in their design plan.  We focus on function as well as the overall look we are going for.  It helps to make their space unique to them and how they want to feel and function in it.

If you are perusing the web for inspiration, before you save a picture to a Pinterest or Mood Board, think about how the different color choices make you feel.

Today I challenge you to think about the colors that inspire you, relax you, motivate you, and make you feel organized.

Think about what color brings you comfort.

And set the intention of bringing those colors purposefully into your space. Whether it’s a pillow, a throw, a bouquet of flowers, or a canvas with your favorite quote written in your own handwriting with a giant marker in your favorite color.

And each time that you see this intentional trigger, remind yourself of the special characteristics that are uniquely YOU that you bring into every space that you enter.

We all deserve spaces that make us feel our best.  It is the key, to living our best lives every single day!

Make it a great one!

XO,

Lynne

P.S. If you are struggling to pick the perfect wall color for your home or project, I am only a click away.  Save time, money, and frustration by scheduling a Virtual Color consultation today.  More info...