Choosing colors for your home can feel daunting. A smart approach is to consider the type of feeling you’re striving to achieve. If it’s a bedroom, you may want calm, serene colors. If you’re designing a family room, you may want to express joy, or even freedom.
Here Smithy Home Couture dives into Color Psychology, sharing thoughts and tips on how to choose colors that embody you – and the emotion you want your beautiful rooms to capture.
WHITE: White rooms / white accessories tell a story of honesty, innocence and simplicity. White tends to be very modern and minimalist. An all-white room can feel sterile, cold. You may be striving for a clean look – but your guests may feel uncomfortable especially if it’s white carpeting or white furniture. Guests may worry that they will spill. White pillows can add small touches of these emotions without all the angst of white furnishings.
BLACK: The color black (which some say is a void of color and not a color at all) denotes power, control, authority – but also elegance, sophistication and formality. Black accessories can show off your style – black leather furniture paired with can be very modern and stylish. Black paint can be very modern and can even work in an older home to contemporize a room.
RED: Red, one of the three primary colors, is the color of excitement, energy and passion. It’s used to stimulate and draw attention – red pops of color can be fun and attention-getting. (There’s a reason why stop signs are red – it’s a very arresting color.)
ORANGE: This color says adventure, creativity, fun, optimism, but it can be a challenge to decorate with. If done well, it can be extremely tasteful, cheerful, bright and modern. If not, it can be reminiscent of the 1970s and have a retro feel. Orange stimulates – for a restful night’s sleep, you may not want orange in your bedroom! Extroverts may choose to decorate with orange as a reflection of their personality – sunshiny and outgoing. Check out our Orange Maze Velvet Decorative Throw Pillow Cover.
PEACH/CORAL: The color peach had its heyday in the 1980s. Prom dresses, girls bedroom sets – all peach. Today, peach is dated and passé. The new hue is coral – less orange, more pink – far more c. Coral pairs beautifully with navy blue and can add a splash of color without being overtly feminine.
YELLOW: Cheerful and bright, this primary color elicits feelings of enthusiasm, happiness and positivity – like the yolk of an egg or daffodils. Considered a “warm” color, yellow can bring cheer and sunshine into any room but should also be used judiciously as it can be overwhelming if it’s too bright. It’s also an energizing color and can stimulate and awaken the senses, ideal for one accent wall, small bathrooms or a little pops of color.
CHARTREUSE/LIME GREEN: Lime green has become increasingly trendy, evoking feelings of nature, growth, healing, freshness and outdoors. It is used to rejuvenate and restore energy. Don’t miss this Chartreuse and Cream Striped Velvet Pillow Cover.