HOME AND HAPPINESS 1/5: HOW TO INCORPORATE COLOUR?
- Malika Vaidya
- Sep 27, 2020
- 6 min read
Imagine lying in a lush green open field or frolicking and inhaling the tartness of a field of yellow mustard flowers…..
Puts a smile on your face, doesn’t it? makes you crave the outdoors even more, does it not?
Delving deeper, one can say, both the images give us a feeling of freedom, happiness/ joy – a range of positive feelings.
But why is that so? Is it the sense of freedom associated with the mental image or is it the vivid colour it paints in one’s mind? Or is it a little bit of both?
This is where colour psychology makes its grand entrance.
“The importance of architecture as a trigger to physical, physiological and psychological wellbeing is nowadays becoming a topic of significant relevance.” – Dr Sergio Altomonte, Professor at Nottingham University.
So, what is Colour Psychology?
Colour psychology is the study of colours in relation to human behavior. It aims to determine how colour affects our day to day decisions. Does the colour of a space affect us? Can the colour of the material used, incite certain emotions? Can a certain colour palette set the tone for a space? Or Do we gravitate towards certain colours naturally? The answer is YES. But it’s not that simple!
The meaning behind certain colours can have an impact on how we feel towards them. But the same colour can have different meanings depending greatly on culture, symbolism, gender and past positive/negative experience associated with it.
A simple yet effective example of this is the perception of the colours black and white across cultures. In the Western countries White is seen as a symbol of purity, innocence, cleanliness and is used as a colour for bridal gowns. Whereas, it is a symbol of mourning, grief and death in the East. Black is seen as a symbol of luxury, health and prosperity in a lot of Eastern nations whereas it is a symbol of mourning in the West.
Colour is a visual language understood by all but it’s psychological and physiological impact on humans goes largely unnoticed. The impression of a colour and the message it conveys is of utmost importance in creating the mood or ambience that supports the function of a space.
Use of colour in architecture is similar to how it is used in marketing/branding i.e. the right colours can add a personality to a space and influence how people feel while spending time in it.
So, How does one use colours effectively while designing a space?
As designers, one shouldn’t pick colours just because they are biased towards it. One must consider each room individually. And, take into consideration, the function of the room – times of the day the room is used and how much time will people spend in it. This is an effective way of introducing a ‘mood’ to the space.
The amount and direction of natural light into the room should also be taken into account as it can completely alter the look of applied colour on the walls and ceiling, resulting in changing the look of the space and its desired effect .
Another consideration is the size of the room. For example, the use of lighter colours in a relatively small room can make the space seem larger and airy. Alternately, if required, a large room can be made cozy by using warm and dark colours.
Colours can also have an effect on the temperature of the room. Cooler colours such as blue can give a perception of cooler temperatures and vice versa for warm colours like red. Neutral colours such as white, black, brown and grey can be used as a canvas for other colours.
NOW, that we have put all the considerations into place …
Let us have a look at 11 basic colours. Colours can be broadly classified into warm, cool and neutral colours. Apart from the actual colour – its pure state, the hue, value and chroma play an important role in how a colour is perceived.
RED
Effect: excitement, stimulating
Association: Positive – active, strong, warm
Negative – aggressive, intense, fierce, bloody
Walls: aggressive, advancing
Ceiling: intrusive, can seem heavy
Flooring: cautious, alert
Red is a dominant warm colour and appears closer to the eye than is actually. Using red in spaces meant for relaxation like bedrooms is unwise. As red stimulates hunger and appetite, it can be used in kitchens as a highlight and to liven up a drab space.
source : https://www.cotemaison.fr/
ORANGE
Effect: excitement, vibrant, cheerful
Association: Positive – jovial, lively, energetic, warm
Negative – intrusive, overbearing
Walls: warm, luminous
Ceiling: stimulating, attention-seeking
Flooring: activating, motion-oriented
Orange is a colour of optimism and is socially inviting. Hues and shades of this colour hold a special place in our culture. Orange can be thought of as a more inviting and subdued brother of red and is actively used in therapy for its antidepressant properties.
source : pinterest.com
YELLOW
Effect: cheerful, upbeat, warm
Association: Positive – sunny, radiant, vital
Negative – glaring, grating
Walls: warm (towards orange), exciting to irritating (highly saturated)
Ceiling: light (towards lemon), luminous, stimulating
Flooring: elevating, diverting
Yellow is a bright warm colour and should be used in moderation as it can quickly grate on one’s nerve. Subdued shades of yellow can be used to brighten up a room and make it more cheerful.
source: housebeautiful.com
PINK
Effect: fun, calming
Association: Positive – lively, intimate, fun
Negative – weak, sickly
Walls: aggression-inhibiting, intimate, too sweet if not greyed down
Ceiling: delicate, comforting
Flooring: too delicate, not used very often
Pink is a colour often associated with femininity. But nuanced use of the colour can liven up a space quickly.
source: westelm.com
BLUE
Effect: soothing, relaxing
Association: Positive – calm, comfortable, noble
Negative – depressing, melancholy, cold
Walls: cool and distant (if light), encouraging and space deepening (if dark)
Ceiling: celestial, cool, receding (if light), heavy and oppressive (if dark)
Flooring: inspiring feeling of effortless movement (if light), substantial (if dark)
Blue is one of the colours strongly associated with colour psychology. Deep and bold shades of blue such as navy and royal blue invoke confidence and are associated with loyalty, trust and success. source: pinterest.com These shades can be used in living and dining areas.
On the other hand, lighter shades of blue invoke a feeling of calm and tranquillity and are great colour be used in places of relaxation such as bedrooms, study areas and nurseries.
PURPLE
Effect: subduing
Association: Positive – dignified, lavish, rich
Negative – lonely, conceited
Walls: heavy, overpowering
Ceiling: disconcerting, subduing
Flooring: fleeting, magical
A rich colour and a combination of blue and red (two opposing colours on the spectrum), purple if used correctly can make a space or break it, if used incorrectly. Deep and dark shades of colour add richness to a space. But, if overdone, can quickly become distasteful. On the other hand, lighter shades like lilac and lavender can be calming and soothing.
source: crownpaints.co.uk
GREEN
Effect: relaxing, fresh
Association: Positive – refreshing, quiet, natural
Negative – jealousy, tiresome
Walls: secure, calm, reliable, passive, irritating (electric green)
Ceiling: protective
Flooring: natural (if not too saturated), soft, relaxing
Found abundantly in nature, green is a colour associated with the outdoors. When used in lighter shades, it can give a very relaxing feel to a room. On the other hand, highly saturated tones can be irritating (imagine electric/neon green). And, darker shades might promote the feeling of sickness.
source: anncoxdesign.com
BROWN
Effect: subduing, stabilising
Association: Positive – warm, secure
Negative – overbearing, heavy
Walls: secure and assuring if wood, much less so if paint
Ceiling: oppressive and heavy (if dark)
Flooring: steady, stable
Brown is a neutral colour and associated with nature. Evoking a sense of stability and structure, it lends itself well to family areas such as kitchens and dining space. Used cleverly and sensibly with other neutrals such as white, deeper and darker shades of brown can also act as highlight features.
source: ballarddesigns.com
GREY
Effect: neutral
Association: Positive – neutral, calming
Negative – boring
Walls: neutral to boring
Ceiling: shadowy
Flooring: neutral
Another neutral colour, the effect of the colour largely depends on how it is used. For example, if used on the walls as a matte grey wash contrasting against white, it creates a strong and confident look. Whereas, a velvety grey sofa against white walls adds softness to the space.
source: pinterest.com
WHITE
Effect: disconcerting, clinical
Association: Positive – clean, pure, bright, crisp
Negative – clinical, sterile
Walls: neutral to empty, sterile, without energy
Ceiling: empty, no design objections-helps diffuse light sources and reduce shadows
Flooring: touch-inhibiting (not to be walked upon)
Although considered to be clinical and sterile, white does open up a space and make it seem airy. It gives an illusion of larger space to a room. Shades and tones of white when used in a monotone theme gives a chic look to a room.
source: pinterest.com
BLACK
Effect: ominous, sleek
Association: Positive – refined, precise
Negative – night, grief
Walls: ominous, dungeonlike
Ceiling: hollow to oppressive
Flooring: odd, abstract
Black is a go-to colour in all aspects of our life. As it does with a wardrobe, black results in an effortlessly chic interiors ready to be enhanced with an accent colour.
source: planete-deco.fr
Keeping all of the above in mind, one can follow certain thumb rules for spaces – lighter colours give an illusion of larger space, darker colours bring the room in. hence, selecting the correct shade of a colour is imperative to a good design
One can say colour has emotive power both in architectural interiors and exteriors. However, the effect of colours is largely dependent on the context, material, design and lighting. With every colour emoting a range from happy to ominous, a holistic design approach can ensure that the colours used have their intended effect.
https://www.oberlo.in/blog/color-psychology-color-meanings
https://medium.com/studiotmd/the-perception-of-color-in-architecture
https://alsecco.co.uk/2017/11/how-can-colour-psychology-be-used-to-good-effect-in-design-and-architecture/
https://www.nickkolenda.com/color-psychology/
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