Lifestyle: Choosing the right colours for home design (1)

While our room colour may seem insignificant, it affects us every day and can influence our moods and thoughts.

Color affects people in many ways, depending on age, gender, ethnic background and climate. A variety of colours tend to get the same reactions from people normally. It differs with the shades/tones used. This makes colour a big deal when it comes to decorating.

Trends are not a necessary part in order to have a beautiful home. Home owners make their homes beautiful by choosing colours that reflect their preferences and personalities.

Choosing color combinations can seem like a daunting task for beginners as it has the power to alter the room and what’s in it. Equipping yourself with general knowledge on colours and its effect makes the task easier.

Let’s find out more about room colors and how they influence your mood.

Choose Wisely

Colors have a psychological effect; they influence emotion, and can stimulate peace and harmony in a home but can have negative effects on your loved ones.

What mood do you want to create? Which colors will help you achieve that mood?

If you need help answering these questions, look at magazines, decorating books, blogs and websites for ideas as well as textiles. It’s best to choose fabric, furniture and tiles first as they are limited in colour and will help determine the colour for the room.

Once you find something you like, choose not more than 3 or 4 colours for a room as too many colours can make a room look busy. You can afford to experiment with paint a little as it is inexpensive.

Room Colors and Their Effects

Colors act in three basic ways: active, passive and neutral. A room’s colours can be matched to your personal desires and tastes. Light colors are expansive and airy, and make rooms seem larger and brighter while dark colors make a room more intimate in appearance.

Color’s Effect on Ceilings

The ceiling represents one-sixth of the space in a room, but too often it gets nothing more than a coat of white paint. In fact, for decades, white was considered not only the safest but also the best choice for ceilings.

As a general rule, ceilings that are lighter than the walls seem higher, while those that are darker seem lower. And this same rule applies to walls as well. Lower ceilings stimulate a cozy feeling while higher ones make a room more spacious.