By Ariel Colhoun Passionate about increasing the sphere of influence for women & driving positive change.
Homeowners can work magic in a home simply through the use of colour. A fresh coat of paint revitalizes a room, makes it feel fresh, and sets the stage for each room. Colour attracts your attention and can alter your frame of mind. Best of all – using new paint colours is the most inexpensive way to achieve a new look in your home.
While perceptions of colour are to some extent subjective, there are some colours that tend to have universal meanings. When you are painting an entire room one colour pay close attention to the colours you choose as the paint colour will dominate the room. Colours are known to evoke certain feelings and emotions, especially when they dominate a space.
Colour reactions include:
White
Simplicity, blank slate symbolizing a fresh start or new beginnings, symbolizes success, creates a sense of space, works well in all colour themes and adds highlights
Grey
Timeless, practical and solid, restful, dependable and mature, elegant and sophisticated
Green
Soothing, peaceful, restful, tranquil, growth, health, nature, health, cheerful and fresh
Blue
Calming, brings serenity and wisdom, peaceful, sometimes associated with sadness and isolation
Yellow
Cheerful and warm, pay attention to the shade of yellow as the darker the yellow the most tiring to the eye due to the high amount of light reflection
Orange
Energetic and warm, yet most do not like rooms painted in this colour, best used in fabric and accessories
Red
Creates intense emotions from love, warmth, courage to anger, best used in fabric and accessories
Brown
Natural, warm, feeling of security and comfort, stability and sophistication
Tips: Where to Stop & Start
Having trouble determining where to stop & start colours when painting? Try using the following tips:
Follow the natural starts & stops of a room. Where the wall begins & ends should be your guide.
Look for natural breaks & architectural elements such as niches, a wall projecting out, arches & entrance ways.
Open Concept? Stick to monochromatic themes to help with flow and reduce distraction. Using monochromatic themes (same colour different hues) will assist in creating a winning style. It is a safe and easy way to create harmony, sophistication, and balance. Simply choose one paint chip sample card and work with the colours within the strip. If you want to add some creative flair, choose an accent colour for highlights.
Colour Trends
Each year new colour trends are set. When making the investment to paint your home it is extremely important to stay abreast of these trends to keep your home up-to-date. There are various sources you can access to stay ahead of the game:
Magazines – be sure to subscribe to a few home décor magazines. They will contain not only the latest trends in colour but style as well.
Online Paint Stores & Companies – bookmark all your favourite paint store & paint company’s websites. They should all contain a section on the latest colour trends.
Idea Cards – these are available at all paint stores & contain up-to-date colour schemes. They also contain pictures of finished rooms so you can translate this to your home.
Hire a Designer – consider hiring an Interior Designer or Decorator to help choose the paint colours for you. Designers are a valuable resource to assist you in your decision.
All posts are intended strictly for educational purposes. It is not intended to make any representations or warranties about the outcome of any product/service.
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