How Colors Affect Moods and Feelings
Color is powerful.
It is so simple, yet so abstract. Scientifically, color is a reflection of light. White is all colors and black is the absence of color. If we were in school, we could talk about Isaac Newton and physics and color and all go to sleep. We not in school so we are going to have a fun informal discussion about color and how it affects moods and human behavior.
Marketers and advertisers have studied how color affects human behavior for decades. Although their objective is to learn how to more effectively sell products, their data offers insights into other facets of business.
One of these businesses is painting and architectural color design. As a professional color consultant, I am well versed in how colors affects human moods and behaviors. When I help clients during color consultations, one factor I consider is the spaces’ use. If you are doing a child’s bedroom, you don’t want to use a color that is going to evoke too much excitement that may cause the kid to be crazy or anxious.
Although, much of color psychology is theoretical and subjective, I believe that it is real. Here is a list of what colors may represent or which feelings they may evoke:
- Green: Life, nature, health, fertility, and safety. Green encourage learning, comfort, relaxation and well being.
- Yellow: It is the easiest color for the human eye to see. Uplifting, optimistic, cheerful. Yellow encourages creativity and intellectual energy. It symbolizes wisdom and happiness. It’s sunny!
- Red: Passion, aggressiveness, strength, ambition, and vitality. Red is a powerful color. You have to be careful with reds because we may associate them with anger. Too much or the wrong red can cause irritation, anger, or aggression.
- Orange: Joy, energy, exuberance. It is uplifting and can increase appetite.
- Pink: Innocence, femininity, softness, warmth. Pink represents nurturing and sensitivity. It’s not just for girls.
- Blue: Calming and relaxing. Depending on their shade, blues can foster creativity, comfort, clarity, relaxation, intuition and even memorization.
- Purple: This is an interesting one. Purple can balance the mind and assuage irrational fears. I don’t have personal experience with this, but I do like purple Polo shirts!
- Black: Serious, distinct, bold. Black has different meanings based on culture. Many western cultures associate black with death, however, some native American cultures associate black with life because fertile soil is black.
- White: Purity, truth, peace, cleanliness, comfort.
- Gray: Authority, practicality and independence. It works well for controlling other colors.
- Brown: Naturalness, stability, comfort. It’s earthy, dude!
The coolest thing about all these colors and how the affect our feelings is that by blending shades and combinations, you can make them do anything that you want!
It can be overwhelming, but don’t fret, there are color consultants who know this stuff and love helping.
Connect with professional color consultant Daniel Macris on Google+
Call GreenWave Solutions to schedule a professional color consultation today! 404-549-7776
GreenWave Solutions is Atlanta’s finest painting contractor. We offer house painting in Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek and other affluent areas in Atlanta.
