How the Color in Your Home Affects Your Mood
Relating colors with certain emotions is familiar to most people. We say someone is “green with envy” or when we’re having a rough day we may say we’re “feeling blue.” Comparing feelings to colors is due to more than just a catchy saying however – it’s been proven than colors can have an impact on our mood. So if you’re working on building your dream home or simply updating your own, it can help to know what colors will work well in different rooms, beyond simply a design standpoint.
Red – Considered the color of passion and romance, red is a stimulating color. Depending on the shade, red can look contemporary, traditional, or rustic. It’s a warmer color, and really brighten up a room full of cooler colors such as white or blue. Red is often dramatic, and can add a feeling of intimacy. As an energizing color that has been shown to increase appetites, red is popular in areas such as kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms.
Blue – Blue is a fresh and calming color, and also enhances the feeling of dependability and strength. Darker blues such as navy can add more drama and boldness, while lighter blues increase tranquility and make rooms feel larger. It’s a cooler color, and can help to brighten up darker rooms, and it works well with other colors such as green and yellow. It’s best use are in bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens – rooms where people typically go to relax.
Green – Green is also a very calming color, and is often associated with growth and renewal. Green is very versatile, as a blue-green color creates a cooler feel and a yellow-green adds warmth. Darker green shades tend to add drama while more extreme shades such as lime green can add energy. By using more earthy-greens it can help create a welcoming effect, as we’re used to the feeling of green in nature. Green can also help to brighten up darker rooms, and can help a room feel clean and fresh. Green can be used in almost any room, but is especially popular in bathrooms and foyers for it’s relaxing and brightening effect. It’s also believed to increase focus and decrease anxiety, so green can be a great choice for an office as well.
Yellow – Sunshine and brightness are almost always associated with yellow, as well as optimism and happiness. Yellow is also believed to activate your memory, and inspire creativity as well. A more muted yellow works well as a neutral type color, while a deeper yellow can add sophistication. Yellow can help to brighten up a room, and when combined with natural wood colors it can make a room more warm and welcoming. It works well in areas without many windows such as hallways and basement rooms, and is also popular in living rooms and kitchens.
Gray – A timeless and neutral color, grey invokes feelings of calmness and sophistication. By combining different shades of grey in the same room it can create a feeling of glamour and serenity. It works well as a background color, allowing brighter colors to pop without overwhelming a room. A lighter grey can brighten up a room without the sterile feeling that often accompanies white. Grey is commonly seen in living rooms, dens, and can provide a clean and crisp look in kitchens and bathrooms.
Brown – A warm and inviting color, brown is common in most homes. However, it can be used in more than just wood cabinets or accessories. It’s a relaxing color, and when used as a neutral it can help other colors stand out. Combined with darker colors such as a deep red or green it can bring in a feeling of sophistication, while accenting it with brighter colors such as a light blue or yellow can bring in a warm and airy feeling. By contrasting light and dark colors brown can bring in a sense of refinement, while still helping a room to feel welcoming. Brown can be used in almost any area of a home, usually as a complementary color rather than the focal point.
Are you looking for more change than a new paint color can bring? Whether you’re wanting to build a new home in Cache Valley, Weber County, or Davis County, our team at Mt Sterling Custom Homes would love to be a part of the process. Not sure where to start? As Cache Valley’s luxury builder of the year, we have our design center available to help you create your dream home. Click now to what innovative features we offered with your lifestyle in mind!
