Your home is a great place to put your favorite colors on display, but some shades have more power than meets the eye.
Color psychology is the study of how different hues affect our behavior, and many lessons can be applied when designing your space. From the paint on your walls to the color of your furniture, here’s how the colors you choose affect your mood, energy levels and well-being.
The excitement orange brings can invigorate any room, but there are some spaces where this vibrant hue works better than others. If you have an at-home gym or exercise room, orange can give you an energy boost to power through a workout. Orange is also known to increase your appetite, making it a perfect accent in dining rooms and kitchens. If your home needs a spark, make sure to add some orange to amp up your high-energy spaces.
There’s a reason you feel happier and more alert when you’re out in the sun. Color psychology says yellow enhances neural activity, leading to sharper memory and better communication. Incorporate this color into social spaces like dining and living rooms, or into your home office to stimulate your brain throughout your workday.
Looking for some energy? Try adding a touch of red to your space. Color psychology says red can increase blood pressure and heart rate, leading to faster and more powerful reactions. Ever the entertainer, red is perfect for evoking passionate conversations with your friends and family in the living room.
Red and pink may be close on the color wheel, but they couldn’t be more different when it comes to color psychology. This softer shade can create a sense of tranquility and tenderness in your home, making it a great color in nurseries and bedrooms. Pink’s calming effects promote relaxation by reducing your heart rate, so if you’re designing a space where you want to unwind, pink is the color for you.
Turn your space into a soothing oasis with serene shades of green. This calming color can help you escape from the hustle and bustle of life by preserving your energy and making you feel balanced. While green can bring a sense of joy, it’s not the energetic kind you get from a yellow or orange, so consider color psychology when crafting your vibe. Bringing this shade into the kitchen or bathroom can create a grounded and tranquil space.
Timeless and elegant, blue is a staple in most homes. Like green, blue is known for its calming and peaceful nature. Being surrounded by blue can slow down your heart rate, breathing and even your body temperature. Working a stressful job? Look to blue to be your new favorite co-worker in your home office. Desiring a space to unwind at the end of the day? Add blue to your bedroom to create a calming space to rest easy in.
Embrace relaxation and imagination by adding purple to your home decor. This regal hue enhances your senses and self-awareness. This makes it ideal for spaces where you want to foster creativity and introspection, such as bedrooms, offices and living rooms. Areas intended for high activity or socializing can always benefit from a touch of purple, as an accent color or the main focus.
Create a cozy and inviting ambiance throughout your home with warm and earthy shades of brown. Whether used in furniture, flooring or decor, brown brings a sense of comfort and security. Color psychology believes that brown even boosts your serotonin levels, setting the mood for a welcoming environment where you can feel relaxed and connect with others.
It would be a challenge not to incorporate white into your home. This versatile color symbolizes comfort and hope. It is great for opening up spaces and making them feel brighter. Color psychology says these design perks can help with enhanced focus and memory. Use white as a neutral so the other colors in your home can really pop.
Make a bold statement in your home with the sophisticated, serious allure of black. Black is commonly associated with feelings of strength and confidence, it can also be a calming presence. This versatility allows you to make living rooms, kitchens or home offices where you feel empowered to take action with one rich hue.
Want to see more colors at play? Take our style quiz and we’ll match you up with an Ashton Woods look you’ll love. If you’re ready to make your vision of home a reality, contact us today.
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