Whether it is for your home or business, choosing colors deliberately can be fun and rewarding. Which came first—artists or scientists? Either way, throughout history, many people have studied the psychological effects of colors in our environment and have learned to use color to help evoke specific feelings.
Warm colors are associated with sunlight, heat, and vitality. Reds often portray strong emotions like passion, courage, and adventure. Due to the association of red with danger, it is often used very sparingly and with caution, especially in financial offices where red has a negative connotation. Yellows are associated with sunlight, heat, cheerfulness, and optimism. While oranges portray feelings of health, warmth, and energy, many people have strong feelings for it, sometimes negative.
Cool colors that include greens, blues, and purples remind us of nature—vegetation, water, and sky. Cool colors work well in bedrooms and often create a relaxing atmosphere great for bedrooms, bathrooms, and conservative offices.
Neutral colors such as tans, near-whites, and shades of gray, are stable, conservative, and least offensive. In both homes and offices, neutral colors can cover the bulk of the surfaces, while colorful accents can add character and vary the overall mood.
Although there are general trends in color theory, the most important factor to consider is what mood you would like to portray in the desired setting. Any strong color can be altered by tinting, shading, or rendering it closer to cooler or warmer tones. To take the guesswork out of your project, big or small, Performance Painting has the skill to create the right feel for you.
