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Step 1
Colors can attribute to mood, especially when it is used in décor. Choosing the right colors is important if you are trying to create a mood for a room.
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Step 2
Warm, dark colors such as dark reds and oranges are warm and passionate. Be careful when using reds, however. Red is a very intense color and the brighter and more vibrant the red, the more intense the emotion. Reds can evoke passion, energy or anger, depending on their hue. Many people find that if they spend too much time in a bright red room, they can become angry or agitated.
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Step 3
Yellows are energizing, cheerful and happy.
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Step 4
Blues and greens are soothing and calming.
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Step 5
Within each color, there are hundreds of shades and these shades of color can also have different effects on mood. For example, pink and deep crimson are essentially different shades of red, but they have completely different emotions. See Resources for more information on color theory and effects on emotions.
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Step 1
Now that you have some idea about color and the emotions it can evoke, think about the room that you are designing. Is there a specific purpose for the room? Should the colors pertain to that purpose? For example: if this is a child's room, maybe using colors that the child likes would be best, or using all primary colors to keep it lively and playful. Or if this is a psychologist's office who specializes in patients with anger management issues, it would probably be best to aim for soothing colors.
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Step 2
Look around and observe the colors in the permanent fixtures. Are there stone or wood accents that are going to stay their natural color? If so, you will want to choose colors that don't clash with them. Also take note of any appliances that are going to stay or other permanent things and be sure you choose colors that will go well with them.
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Step 3
Now assess the artwork or decorative pieces that you will be using in the area. Is there a color that these have in common? Use this as a starting point. Try to find at least one "focal point" for the area and use the colors that are in that to build your color scheme.
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Step 4
Find colors in everything that will be in the area: furniture, light fixtures, plants, flowers, etc., and take note of the colors in them.
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Step 5
Compare what decorative pieces you have with the pictures that you saved of the décor that you like and start putting together general color schemes based on what you have and what you hope to achieve.
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Step 6
At this point you should have enough basic information to start thinking of some colors for your scheme. Go to your paint store to choose swatches based on these colors.
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Step 7
Choose several swatches in colors that are similar to what you think you want, some darker, some lighter, some redder, some greener, etc., until you have a large assortment of colors in the range that you are seeking.
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Step 8
Pick up some color scheme booklets while you are there. In the swatch section there are many booklets that help you pick out coordinating colors and provide swatches based on color schemes, emotions, and room use (for example, bedroom, kid's room, bathroom, etc.).
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Step 9
Now take your swatches back to the place that you are going to paint and look at them in the natural light of that living space. You might notice that some colors that you liked under the florescent lighting do not look as good in this space. If that is the case, set aside the paint chips that you don't like.
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Step 10
Carry the swatches around and compare them to the appliances, fixtures, furniture and décor that you will be using and see if some paint chips work better than others. Set aside any that don't work.
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Step 11
When you have narrowed down the paint chips to several that you like, use some small pieces of clear tape and tape them to the walls in several different places in the room. You will be observing the lighting during the day and the effect that the lighting has on these pieces.
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Step 12
As you go about your day, try to look at the paint colors and image them individually on the wall. Observe how the lighting changes the colors during the day and night and set aside some more colors that you like the least.
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Step 13
At this point you might have your colors chosen, but if you still can't decide between a couple of them, go back to the paint store with your swatches and purchase sample bottles of the paint. These can be made for you and cost a couple of dollars each. Apply the paint either directly to the walls in large squares (at least 1 foot x 2 foot rectangular areas) or paint large pieces of white paper, let them dry and hang them on the walls. Sometimes these larger patches of paint will help you decide what you like.
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Step 1
A good rule of thumb for color is that you should use no more than 3 colors. Two of these colors should be similar in color, for example two blues --- one light and one darker. The third color should be an "accent" color.
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Step 2
Using a "complementary" color on the color wheel is an excellent but bold choice for an accent color. Complementary colors are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel and therefore help to make each other "pop." In the case of blues, the complementary color would be orange.
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Step 3
For a more subdued look, use colors that are closer to each other. With blues, instead of using orange as your accent color, you could use purple, which is next to blue on the color wheel.
