When clients ask me for guidance in selecting colors for their home, I always respond the same way: “What is your favorite color?” I ask this question because color is a personal preference, and an individual’s reaction to a particular color is a unique experience. Although a client’s favorite color may not be the right choice for a specific room, it is a good starting point for the discussion.

Color can affect a person in a positive way while the same color may create adversity in another. Our emotions at a given moment can be a contributing factor. While some people are more sensitive to color than others, we tend to gravitate towards the ones that make us feel good. Selecting the right color for a room can greatly impact our mood and our energy.

I am fascinated by the psychology behind color and how it can increase calmness, energy and richness in our lives. The power of color can aid in healing us physically and emotionally. Cool colors like purple, blue and green tend to have this type of an effect on us.

In contrast, red, orange and yellow are considered to be exciting colors. We see these colors used a lot in advertising and in restaurants. (The restaurant chain McDonald’s selected its famous red-and-yellow color scheme after extensive research.) These warm colors are known to stimulate appetite appeal to the eye and encourage guests to eat and leave quickly.

Color is a powerful design element that can create an environment to soothe one’s soul. It can make the rooms in a home feel more calm, cheerful, comfortable or dramatic. Not only can the right color pull a room together, it is also an expression of your style.

Here are some emotions and sensations associated with common colors:

• Red: Excitement, energy, passion, love, determination, speed, strength, sincerity

• Orange: Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrancy, expansiveness, flamboyance, demanding of attention

• Yellow: Joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, warmth, comfort

• Blue: Peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, confidence, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water

• Green: Nature, environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity

• Purple: Royalty, nobility, spirituality, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment

Have more questions about color selection? Please contact us or visit us at our Kitchen & Bath Design Center.