Color Theory — Why Are Colors Important in Interior Design. — Cobalt Blue 1802
By: Georgina Borneman-Street
Tags: Design, Color Theory, Function, Psychology, Colors

How do you feel in the rooms you live and work in?

The colors you surround yourself with aren’t just about aesthetics. Colors have a powerful effect on your mood — as anyone involved in the design or marketing industry will know!

Feeling stressed, uninspired, or a little down? The color of your interiors might actually be part of the problem.

If you want to feel calm and rested in your bedroom, or creative and confident in the office, an interior design update could be just what you need.

WHAT IS COLOR THEORY?

Color theory brings together the science and art of using color. It explains how colors mix, match and contrast with each other.

Color theory also explains our perception of color. And the emotions that particular colors tend to evoke based upon our cultural experiences and psychology.

All of this is really useful knowledge to have when approaching interior design and deciding how you want a room to make you feel.

WHAT IS THE COLOR WHEEL?

The color wheel forms part of color theory. It was first invented by Sir Isaac Newton back in 1666 so it’s something of a classic. It shows us which colors sit harmoniously together and which don’t.

The color wheel is made up of hues, tints, tones and shades.Primary colors: red, blue and yellow

Secondary colors: purple, green and orange — the colors you get when you mix the primary colors together

Tertiary colors: yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, red-purple, and so on — the colors you get when you mix a primary color and a secondary color

Hues

Hues sit around the outer edge of the color wheel and include:

Primary colors: red, blue and yellow

Secondary colors: purple, green and orange — the colors you get when you mix the primary colors together

Tertiary colors: yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, red-purple, and so on — the colors you get when you mix a primary color and a secondary color

Tints, tones and shades

Moving closer to the center of the color wheel, we get tints, tones and shades.

Tints are created by adding white to a hue.

Tones are created by adding gray to a hue.

Shades are created by adding black to a hue.

So now we know the basics of the color wheel, what can we do with it?

HOW CAN WE USE COLOR THEORY TO INFLUENCE OUR MOOD IN THE SPACES WE INHABIT?

The color wheel helps us to combine hues, tints, tones and shades in combinations that work well together. Colors are seen as complementary if:

They sit next to each other on the color wheel

They sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel

They form an equal-sided triangle within the color wheel

Using the color wheel helps us to avoid color clash — something that inevitably makes a room feel unwelcoming and uncomfortable to spend time in.

But the psychological side of color theory is really important, too. Understanding how different colors set the emotional tone for a room empowers us to design a space that suits, or lifts, our mood.

Who’d have thought that choosing wall paint could have such an impact on your life, right?

Colors for calm and restoration

For those places you consider a sanctuary — the rooms where you want to relax and calm the mind at the end of a busy day — here are the colors you should put on your shortlist:

Greens

Spending time in nature is good for the soul. And green is a color we can’t help but associate with growth and the great outdoors.

As a result, green is restful and restorative. It creates a sense of security and does a great job of soothing our souls when we’re too highly strung.

Whites, sky blues and light grays

Cold colors — blues, greens, purples, grays — all fall on the same side of the color wheel. They tend to be more relaxing than colors on the warmer side of the wheel.

Pale, cool colors create a feeling of space, airiness, peace and tranquillity. In, the color blue lowered participant’s blood pressure, while red (a warm color) made their hearts beat faster.

Colors for inspiration and creativity

Redesigning an office space? What if the colors you used could help you, and your employees, to work better and feel more motivated? Well, as it just so happens, they can…

Yellow

Choose yellow for a room and it’s like bringing a little bit of sunshine into your space. Yellow symbolizes joy, happiness, intellect and energy.

Warm colors, in general, tend to be energizing. And yellow is a particularly optimistic option. It’s perfect if you’re trying to create an inspiring space where ideas come easily.

Orange

A bold but increasingly popular choice, orange is another happy, sunshiney color that stimulates the mind and body. It represents enthusiasm, creativity, success and determination.

While orange can easily become overpowering, use it as an accent color in your workspace and it can really help to boost your confidence and motivation.

It’s pretty incredible how color plays with our subconscious and influences how we feel

If you’re feeling out of sync with your home or office space, contact us today to arrange a complimentary interior design consultation.

Here at Cobalt Blue, we use our knowledge of color theory, human psychology and exceptional design to create spaces that leave you feeling great.