How Paint Colors Effect Moods & Emotions
Color has been long been believed to treat ailments, affect moods and influence emotions. Chinese books of medicine recorded color diagnoses over 2,000 years ago. Arabs and Egyptians have also been shown to use forms of color therapy, commonly called “chromatherapy” today. In the 1940s, S.V. Krakov experimentally showed that color affects the nervous system. Use warm colors to promote conversation and a playful atmosphere and cool colors to invite relaxation and thought when considering paint colors for your home.
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Yellow
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The color yellow can stimulate mental activity, promote feelings of wellbeing and happiness. Yellow stands for confidence, shines optimistically and invigorates with energy. Use this color in home offices, kitchens and dining rooms, but avoid sleeping areas (especially infant's bedrooms).
Orange and Red
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While orange and red are different colors, they are close in hue and related in emotion stimulation. Orange stimulates activity, appetite and encourages conversation. It bursts with joyfulness and can be a stimulant. Red has been shown by Krakov to raise blood pressure and pulse rate, as well as stimulate the adrenal glands (the source of adrenaline). Use these colors in entrances, dining, living and play rooms.
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Pink
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Pink calmly nurtures, reassures and soothes, while reminding us of a comforting maternal embrace. Use in living rooms, children's rooms and bedrooms. The color pink is thought to suppress the appetite, so use sparingly in kitchens. Note that you don't need to paint an entire room pink; accents in decorations or flowers can provide the same effects.
Purple
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The favorite of past royalty, purple is confident, dignified and purposeful. Purple is the combination of red and blue, providing a balance of heightened awareness mixed with a calming relaxing effect. Use in living rooms and bedrooms and use light lavender-like purples in bathrooms as well.
Blue
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The blue of water and sky produces the well-known relaxing and calming effects inherent in both. These effects were confirmed in Krakov's experiments. The color blue can ease tension and encourage gentle communication. Use this color in areas of reflecting and thought, but avoid in areas where activity is encouraged (such as the kitchen and home office).
Green
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Green is refreshing, renewing and calming. Approximately 32 percent of the cones responsible for seeing color in your eye are green cones, as green is the prominent color in the natural world. Green is useful for a wall that serves as a backdrop to accessories, as it is a color that will produce its effects without being conspicuous.
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References
- Photo Credit color image by Yermashkevich Pavel from Fotolia.com
