How To Enhance Your Designs With The Use Of Color

Exterior design by Emmanuel Oyelade

Introduction

People are physically, psychologically, and socially influenced by color. Color has been found to have connections to health and it can help set the mood through which your designs are seen.

Color communicates meaning and so we need to be conscious of what meaning we’re conveying when we choose to use one color over another. It’s not enough for a designer to use a color simply because he or she likes that color.

Last week we talked about the color wheel and how we could choose the perfect color combination. 

This week we’ll take a look at the meaning colors communicate, how we can better control our designs through our color choices and finally how to go about choosing a color scheme that reinforces the message your design aims to communicate.

The Meaning of Colors

The meaning of colors can vary depending on culture and circumstances. Not only do colors influence emotion, but they also hold meaning in religion and various cultures.

Even within a single culture individual differences will exist. You and I will not necessarily be affected in the same way by seeing the same color.

The above means that it’s important to understand who your target audience is and how your audience attaches meaning to color. Again it’s not that a color has a specific meaning on its own. It’s that we’ve culturally assigned meaning to colors. 

Keep that in mind as you read some of the specifics about the colors mentioned below.

Warm Colors: They Are Stimulating

The reds, oranges, yellows and all the off whites that tend to this direction possess all the qualities of warmth in that they are hot, stimulating and soothing to our EMOTIONS, which crave warmth. 

This is the reason red is the most successful color in our consumer society and found in such icon products as Coca-Cola, Ferrari, and red lipstick.

Warm colors therefore work really well in the social rooms of your house, such as the living room, dining room and kitchen. They are also ideal for restaurants and bars, where socializing, eating and drinking are paramount.

Cool Colors: They Are Calming

The blue side of the spectrum along with cool browns and grays and the cool off whites possess all of the qualities of coolness in that they are calming, focusing and soothing to our Intellect, which craves a cooler atmosphere. 

These colors quiet the emotions and sharpen our thoughts, allowing our mind to do its best work.

Cool colors are therefore best in private rooms where concentration, calmness and rest are most important, such as the bedroom, office, and nursery.

Note: The demarcation point between warm and cool colors falls somewhere between yellow/green and violate red. Green and purple don’t fall neatly into either warm or cool camps. They tend to take on the properties of one or the other based on the surrounding context.

Read Aslo: How To Find The Right Colour Combination

Natural Colors: Black and White

A crisp black and white bathroom

Thought both black and white do not count as proper colors (black is all colors and white is the absence of color), they do have warm and cool properties, which is sometimes surprising to people, but are very important to know when using them:

White is cool and Black is warm.

Therefore, remember that when you paint a room straight white, it is going to tend to be cold, and will need a lot of color or other warm elements to make it physically comfortable, whereas black is instantly warm and needs to be used sparingly so that it doesn't overwhelm. A little black will go a long way.

Bright Red: Fortifies You

Interior design by Ellen O'Neill

It is a stimulant. It promotes courage and fearlessness. Use this color when you want to increase self-confidence. But too much red can make you feel overly excited or agitated. A little goes a long way. 

Try a bright red candy dish, picture frame, or accent pillows.

Deep Red: Inspires Passion

Interior design by Carey Maloney and Hermes Mallea

It helps awaken the libido. Use it to move you through inhibitions and emotional blocks that prevent you from expressing yourself. It will remind you to live life fully and to love your body. 

Try a deep red ottoman, lampshade, or accent chair.

Orange: Expands Your Thinking

Interior design by Amanda Lindroth

This vibrant hue reduces self-consciousness and allows you to express yourself with confidence. Use it in your home when you want to feel younger. It is the color of laughter and celebration. 

Add an orange mouse pad to your office, an accent wall to your child's room, or just a bordered note card on a side table.

Yellow: Increases Your Focus

Interior design by Krista Ewart

This color is known for enhancing intelligence and mental agility. It can help stimulate conversation and clarify thoughts. 

Try a yellow pencil, bookmark, or side chair.

Yellow and Orange: Add Life

Interior design by Justine Cushing

These colors help dispel darkness and allow us to see the brighter side of things. Always remember, an array of color is key to happiness: You need the full range of it to feel balanced and fully alive. 

Try a yellow or orange kitchen towel, throw pillows, or coffee mugs.

Green: Increases Wealth

Interior design by Miles Redd

The primary color in nature, it corresponds with life's riches. It is the color of fresh starts and growth. It will encourage you to honor your unique talents and manifest them in the material world. 

Try a green chair, side table or front door.

Green: Also Heals

Interior design by Ruthie Sommers

It represents nourishment and helps steady the body, balancing your equilibrium and encouraging stability. Use it to rejuvenate yourself, to promote physical and emotional well-being. 

Try a green pot, set of kitchen bowls, or bath towels.

Read Aslo: 7 Ways to Boost Your Creativity

Light Blue: Gives a Sense of Peace

Interior design by Meg Braff

It dissolves tension and promotes tranquility. Light blue especially brings ease into the home and harmony into relationships. Wearing or surrounding yourself with it helps calm aggressive tendencies and eliminates discord. 

Try a light blue headboard, flowy drapes or painted ceiling.

Deep Blue: Encourages Efficiency

Interior design by Jeannette Whitson

It will purify your thinking, so you can cut through the clutter and discover what is most important in your life. It helps you integrate the big picture with the little picture. Wear dark blue when you need to make a decision. 

At home, try it on an over-sized tray, a wastebasket, a desk lamp or all over the room.

Aqua: Inspires Trust

Interior design by Mona Ross Berman

This is the color to use when you need to relax. Wear or surround yourself with it if you have difficulty sleeping, dreaming, or meditating. 

Try an aqua duvet, vase or painted floor.

Pink: Opens the Heart

Interior design by Kelee Katillac

Gentle and soothing, pink is the color of love. It promotes tenderness and is a comfort in times of emotional transition. Use it in a room when you are trying to increase receptivity and understanding. 

Try a pink lampshade, table runner or just a glass of rosé wine.

Light Purple: Enhances Spirituality

Interior design by Mary McGee

It will help you connect to a higher plane. Purple encourages a fresh perspective on emotional issues. By reminding you that we are all connected, it will deepen your sense of humanity. Use it in your home to enhance compassion and to experience friends as family. 

Try a light purple cashmere throw, journal or fresh bouquet.

Conclusion

Using colors that don’t work well together, using too many colors or even not enough could drive people away before they have a chance to absorb your content. 

Ideally you should plan and choose a color scheme from the start and you should be consistent in how you use color in your design.


Created By: O’pheme Emmanuel

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