Color makes a large impact on the way individuals interact in their environments. This is especially important in the home, homes are our safe haven and comfort zone. There are several ways to pull color into design. Study your client and their personality to determine what colors to incorporate in their home. The 3 categories that colors are grouped within are warm colors, cool colors and neutral colors.
Warm colors perceive happiness, optimism and enegry. These colors consist of the adjacent colors to red on the color wheel. Red, Orange and Yellow all reflect attention and movement, cheerful and inviting. These can also trigger hostility or irritation if used incorrectly.
Use Red when you want draw attention to a focal point or view. Yellow is best in a cheerful environment such as a kitchen and Orange will draw your eye to certain design elements.
Cool colors perceive soothing, calming and healthy environments. Colors consisting of Green, Blue and Purple tones compliment a cool color scheme. They create balance,
Purple will stimulate the brain, combining red and blue which will spark creativity and serenity. Purple works great in a home office or craft room. It is best to use Green in serene areas such as bathrooms and Blue pulls a balance between active and calm which is great for high traffic areas.
Neutral colors perceive stability, nature and comfort. These are timeless colors.0 Neutrals are perfect for background colors and large areas. Black and Gray are best for a backdrop to bright and dark colors while Tan and Brown are great for patterns, muted colors and textures.
Your surroundings influence emotions and color can cause physical, mental and emotional effects on people. It impacts the way objects are perceived, the attitudes of our friends and family and the way individuals interact in the space. Learning to incorporate color can be a critical part of design.