COLOR YOUR H
By
Carol Carr
Carol Carr has been an interior designer since 1981 , as ‘ Carol Spence Interior Design ’, ASID , CID . Carol specializes in making your home comfortable , an extension of your personality and lifestyle . Her design philosophy is “ Every room should be usable and comfortable — a balance between visual response and physical comfort .” Carol can be reached at 408.779.4189 .
Are you inspired by color but unable to choose the right one for your home ? You ’ re not alone , most of my client ’ s fall into this category . There are many factors to consider when choosing color for your home or office .
Let ’ s start at the beginning , the basics if you will . There are warm colors and there are cool colors . Residents of Alaska and other cold States might want to use warm colors since their winters are long and cold and conversely , residents of the hot southern states may want to use cool colors .
The Effects of Color Cool colors are greens , blue-greens and blues ; the coolness of water whether still or flowing in a water display . Cool colors suggest effectiveness , however they can be refreshing as well . Cool colors appear further away ; a wall will appear to recede . The more saturated the color is , the more intense it is . For instance , new parents might want to paint their new son ’ s room blue ; so in this case they would use a much muted blue ; a “ tint ” of blue . A “ tint ” is a color mixed with white , a “ tone ” is a color mixed with grey and a “ shade ” is a color mixed with black . A highly saturated blue or shade of blue would be too cool !
Warm colors are yellows , oranges & reds . They exude warmth and are inspirational and they have great emotional impact . Some people associate it with the first hint of fall each year . Warm colors are soothing and make you feel good . They make you want to explore new things and rise to greater heights . Physically and mentally they seem to give you a glow and warm inviting feeling . In the cooler states this is a welcome respite when coming in from the cold weather .
Some of the effects of colors are well known and accepted by most people . Color has known psychological effects and can be visceral to some . When color enters through our eyes , it directly affects our mood , productivity , and may have a powerful effect on our self-esteem . It is important to know
that not all societies share our perception of those influences on our emotions . One must separate the psychological from the symbolic . White and black are good examples . In our western society , black is considered serious , dramatic and sometimes sad . It is the traditional color of mourning . White is associated with purity , peace and optimism . It ’ s unthinkable to attend a funeral in white . It ’ s rare that a bride would choose a black dress ( though current wedding trends reflect black as the color choice for bridesmaids ’ attire ). We are convinced that it is not in the “ nature ” of those colors . However , in some Asian countries , it is white , not black that is the color of mourning . There is some overlapping in the properties different cultures attribute to certain colors . Interestingly , Feng Shui , the traditional Chinese philosophy that distinguishes between good and evil , influences interprets colors much in the same way as the majority of Western color specialists .
The Perception of Color The perception of color is affected more by lighting than anything else . It ’ s not just the amount but the type of light . High levels of fluorescent light in a room can cast a cool light on warm tones making them appear drab . Conversely , low levels of incandescent lighting can make the room appear darker . The identical distortions are especially noticeable on neutral and muted colors .
The quantity of light is important in any room . High levels of light make saturated colors seem more vivid . The underlying hues of darker colors may also be more apparent . Low levels of light make vivid colors seem more muted and darker .
The Truth about Paint Chips Trust them but not too much . Tiny squares of color are never a good indicator of how a color will look in a room , so here ’ s what you need to do . Buy sample
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