What Color Should I Paint This Room?

Every home has rooms that directly reflect the owner's personality. Some homeowner don't spend much time thinking about the colors of their rooms but it is very influential. The room color can affect both thoughts and moods.

Everybody, regardless of age, gender, or ethnic background, is affected by color. Certain colors or color combinations trigger different reactions from different people. That's why it's so important that you make wise color choices when decorating your rooms.

Putting together winning color combinations is a challenge for some people and sometimes a bit intimidating. Colors can totally change the atmosphere within any room. In order to select the right colors you need to have a certain amount of basic information about different colors and how they affect mood, thoughts, and overall atmosphere. The effect is psychological and, hectic, and busy tones.

Each room in your house should reflect the mood and tone that you want it to. You are the architect behind the masterpiece. You can get some really good ideas by browsing home improvement magazines or interior decorating books online. After you've found something that captures the expression you're shooting for you can put it together and add it to your room. You never want too many different colors in one room. It makes it look too busy. You only need a couple or three that compliment each other. Experiment around and see what works best. Just ask yourself, "What does your mood say about your space?"

Here are a few examples of different colors and their effects:

RED

Red is a color that can raise the energy level in a room. It's intense and gets the blood pumping. If you want an air of excitement, red can help stir that up. When put in an entry-way it will create a really strong first impression.

Tests reveal that the color red can actually raise blood pressure as well as speed up the heart rate and respiration. That's why it's considered to be too stimulating for use in bedrooms.

Yellow

Yellow is the sunshine color that communicates happiness. It works very well in kitchens, bathrooms, and dining rooms. It's very welcoming when used in entry-ways and smaller spaces. It's cheerful but not so good within a main color scheme. Studies show people are quicker to lose their temper if the room they're in is yellow. Babies have been proven to cry more when in yellow rooms. It's a color that can cause anger and frustration.

BLUE

Blue is very relaxing. It's been known to bring blood pressure down and slow down the heart rate. It brings an element of 'serenity' to your room. It works well in bathrooms or bedrooms.

Sometimes a pastel blue can seem really nice, depending on the light that exists in the room (natural light makes it nice). At other times that same blue can be unpleasantly chilly. Blue is a color that can encourage calmness and relaxation in social settings. It's good for living rooms, large kitchens, or family rooms. There are many different shades of blue so matching it to the room to get your desired effect should be no problem.

GREEN

Green is a restful color. It contains the calming quality of blue along with the cheerful traits of yellow. The right shade of green can go in practically any room in your house. It's great in kitchens, living rooms, or family rooms. It works just as well in the bathroom when done properly. It's calming effect is good for stress relief.

PURPLE

Purple is a dynamic color. It is very sophisticated and full of dramatic effect. It is often associated with royalty and luxury as well as creativity. It makes a better accent color as a main color because of its boldness. Lighter shades make the best applications, like lavender or lilac. They work well in bedrooms.

ORANGE

This color is full of enthusiasm and excitement. It carries loads of energy. It doesn't work so well in living rooms or bedrooms but makes a great color for your exercise room. There are some ancient cultures that believe the color orange had the power to increase energy levels and heal the lungs.

BLACK

Black is one of the best accent colors. Many experts will tell you that a little black should be found somewhere in every room of your house. It really makes the other colors 'pop'. A small thin line of black directly next to another color will make that color really stand out.

The Effect That Color Has on Ceilings

One-sixth of your room space is taken by your ceiling. However, most ceilings only receive a white coat of paint. For decades people thought white paint was the only choice for their ceilings. It's true that usually your ceilings should be lighter than the walls if you want it to feel like the room is higher. The darker your ceiling the lower it will feel. As for the walls, the darker they are the smaller the room seems, and the lighter they are the large the room will feel.

The guidelines can help you get started on creating a color scheme of your own. Remember that YOU are the one who is going to be living there, so choose your colors to create the feel that 'you' want and not to please everybody else.