A PALETTE OF EMOTIONS Colour acts to inform, persuade and warn through our behavioural, emotional and physical reactions to it. And whilst there remains much debate surrounding the psychophysiological effects of colour, it plays a critical role in our everyday lives and there can be no disputing the fact that colour has a major effect on us. How colours affect us will vary to some degree between individuals and will inevitably be influenced by several factors including society, upbringing, culture and race. However recognisable patterns of colour responses have been identified and there are certain colours that are synonymous with generating a particular emotion and subconsciously drive us to take a particular action. It is clear that any strong colour will cause an immediate reaction that can be physiologically measured.
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Colour is fundamental to every aspect of our lives and subconsciously it’s the driving force behind much of our decision making. Choosing colour for the interior is not rocket science, but often with so much colour choice it can be daunting knowing where to start. As an idea, always try to start your colour choice from the entrance of the property, whether that be a hallway or a front room, that way colours can flow from room to room in harmony and not be disjointed. There are a number of things we need to consider about a space before we make our final colour choice and they are: atmosphere, lighting, dimensions and existing furnishings.
Atmosphere One of the most important aspects about colour in the home is that it creates ambience and can help set a particular mood or atmosphere. Red, orange and yellow are seen as being warm colours, and help make a space more intimate, cosy and welcoming whilst certain shades of blue and green feel cool and help calm the senses. Dimensions Cool, light colours will help make a space seem larger than it actually is, while the opposite is true of warm, dark colours which will make a space seem smaller and more intimate. To emphasise the illusion of space within a room, use the same colour on the woodwork, walls and on the coving or cornicing as there’ll be no unbroken lines, which will make the walls to appear taller. This is a look which is popular in contemporary decoration. It generates a sense of calm as there are no contrasts to draw the eye. Some cool, dark colours can make a space seem larger whilst at the same time making it seem quite cosy. If you have a small space but still want to create a cosy atmosphere, don’t be afraid to use warm, darker shades to dramatise the effect. Likewise, if you have a large room and want to emphasise the size, use cool, light colours. Lighting When choosing colour it’s best to view it under the light in which it will be seen, as different light sources can have a massive effect of our perception of a particular colour.
Existing furnishings Most likely your chosen paint colour will need to work with existing furniture and furnishings and this is where colour harmonies can help. Our SCAN colour coding enables you to choose combinations of colours which are proven to work well together. Although the sky is the limit when it comes to possible colour combinations, colour harmonies exist to help make colour selection easy. The Monochromatic scheme is based around one hue but this may vary in tint or shade. In reality, white and neutral shades will be included too but this will still be regarded as a Monochromatic scheme. The overall effect will be calming and soothing. The Analogous scheme uses colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. One colour is used as a dominant colour while others are used to enrich the scheme. Colour opposites can work well together to liven up a scheme and create drama. The Complementary scheme works best if one hue dominates whilst the other hue is used in small amounts. This scheme looks best when you place a warm colour against a cool colour. One final thought: colour on the wall is quick, easy and relatively cheap to change; colour in furniture is less so. Bear that in mind if you are unable to change your furniture and furnishings.
Red Positive: Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, Negative: Defiance, aggression, visual impact, strain Green Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environment awareness, equilibrium, peace Negative: Boredom, stagnation, blandness Yellow Positive: Optimism, confidence, self esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety Before making a final colour choice it’s worth considering the type of atmosphere that’s required. Colours such as shades of red, orange and yellow are perceived as warm colours and thus increase the perceived temperature of a space whilst the opposite is true of true blues and blue shades of green.
North facing rooms are illuminated only by early morning light and reflected daylight which projects a cool grey cast on all surfaces. Shades of blue or green or any colour with a blue or green undertone can make the room appear colder. Ideally, colours with a red undertone should be used in the décor to compensate for the coolness of the light. This doesn’t necessarily mean sticking to reds and oranges; some shades of blue can include red pigments. South facing rooms benefit from the warm glow of afternoon sunlight. The intense golden rays and distinct shadows of a sunny, late afternoon can have a profound effect on the colours in a room. Southern light is warm and cool, dark colours work well in a room with a southern exposure. Artificial lights vary in colour temperature and tend to project different colour casts to daylight. Although most artificial lights emit white light, this can vary from a cosy ‘warm’ white to a ‘cold’ white, and this is often dependent on its colour temperature. Warm white lighting tends to be associated with ‘normal’ incandescent bulbs and colour rendition appears warm. Reds and yellows are enhanced and blues and greens appear dark and moody. Contrastingly, under the cool cast of some fluorescent lights, blues and greens are enhanced, while reds and yellows are muted. Halogen lights provide excellent colour rendition and best replicate average daylight but they are expensive to run. Daylight florescent bulbs in strip lights are just as good but they have the advantage of being more energy efficient. Additionally,
White Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency Negative: sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism Brown Positive: Seriousness, warmth, nature, earthiness, reliability, support Negative: Lack of humour, heaviness, lack of sophistication Violet Positive: Spiritual awareness, containment, vision, luxury, authenticity, truth, quality Negative: Introversion, decadence, suppression, inferiority Black Positive: sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, authority, efficiency, substance Negative: oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness Blue Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, efficiency, serenity, duty, logic, coolness, reflection, calm Negative: coldness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness
It’s not just paint.
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both of these light sources are known to be CIE standard illuminant D65.
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