We're programmed to respond to colours a certain way, yet our individuality also plays a part in interpreting the meaning of certain shades.
It's a question some of us fear and others embrace: what colour to paint the dining room? Or the bedroom, the hall, the bathroom? Each person goes about choosing in his or her own way. However, giving thought to what mood certain colours may inspire is worth some thought. After all, researchers have been studying the emotional response to colours for decades.
The way people respond to colour is determined by biology, learning, culture, personality, mood and personal preference. Most people (including people who are colour-blind) have pre-set biological responses to certain colours. For example, almost everyone is energized by reds and calmed by blues. Colour experts say we associate yellow, orange and red with heat, sun and fire, and blue, green and violet with the sea, leaves and sky.
Researcher Harry Wohlfarth at the University of Alberta studied school and office spaces and found that blue walls tended to calm hyperactive children, lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Yellow, on the other hand, made people more alert and enhanced their ability to learn. His results are that college students performed better academically when they were in yellow, orange or red classrooms.
There are no hard and fast rules, though.
"Colour is just so personal," says feng shui designer Grace McKnight, based in Mahone Bay, NS. She says each individual's personality has to be considered. "If a person is supersensitive to hot, active colours, they can be overstimulating."
The colour experts at Sherwin-Williams agree. They say yellow can be irritating to children. The research on personality and colour has been inconclusive, although some of it makes intuitive sense. For instance, people who are high in sensation-seeking (desire for stimulation) are more apt to prefer red compared to low sensation seekers.
We react well to a colour that answers whatever physical or psychological need we have. Melanie Rice, colour consultant for Para Paints, says a lot of red in a bedroom may be a problem if the people sleeping there have difficult and demanding days.
Someone who is worn out will be drawn to a space that is calm and relaxing, which can translate into dark colours. Considering that Benjamin Moore's "star of the season" is deep, dark brown, this state might apply to a lot of people. Deep navy (so dark it's almost black) is also becoming popular, says Melanie. People who are seeking safe havens may opt for dark colours, or for something more traditional, such as the heritage colours offered by paint manufacturers, depending on what makes them feel safe.
Learning also plays a role in colour psychology. For example, red can elicit several different yet strong emotional responses-passion, love, anger. Many studies have found that three-year-olds think red is a happy colour, but by 10, red suggests anger. Researchers have speculated the change may be because children learn that red is the colour of blood and danger.
The way people respond to colour in a room has a lot to do with lighting.
"Light introduces subtle changes that the eye will pick up," says Catherine Venart, assistant professor at the school of architecture and planning at Dalhousie University.
A white ceiling will reflect light, for example. A dark ceiling will absorb it. Painting the inside of a window frame with high-gloss white will help reflect natural light as well, Catherine says. To warm up a room, she suggests painting the inside of a light shade yellow or red, depending on the mood you want to create. Another way to make a subtle change is to hang coloured vertical blinds in the window.
Colour can change how large or small a room feels, since our perception of space relates to what we're used to seeing in the landscape, says Emanuel Jannasch. The production designer and art director for such films as Def-Con4, Wilby Wonderful, New Waterford Girl and The Conclave-all filmed in the Atlantic region- Emanuel points out that objects that are close appear bright. The further away something is, the paler and bluer it becomes.
"There's a lot of water in the air, which desaturates colour," he says. "If you paint a room with bright orange, it will always look close. In life, you don't see that colour up close." He says that a small room can be made to feel larger by creating a horizontal line that's below eye level when seated (with wainscotting, for example). Wood looks bright, so it makes a good foreground colour. By painting the top half a desaturated colour, the combination will mimic the landscape and visually enlarge the space.
Generalities say nothing for individual preference, of course. For instance if you don't like dark colours, if red is too bold, blue is too cold, white gives you a headache and someone in the family hates yellow, Melanie suggests something in the green family.
"Green is a good balancing colour," she says, "so no matter what personality types are in the family, it will probably work."
Sherwin-Williams calls green the new neutral and says it represents health, restfulness, security and growth. Research bears that out: a study out of the University of Georgia concluded that green evoked feelings of relaxation and comfort. It reminded people of nature.
Turning a room in the house into the emotional reproduction of a restful walk in the park can go a long way in restoring a frazzled mind and re-energizing a weary soul. Trust your instincts when choosing paint colours. You're the one who knows what mood your house needs best.
Paint Colour 101
For people who don't know where to start when it comes to applying colour at home, Feng Shui designer Grace McKnight recommends starting with oneself. "What have I liked over the years? What am I drawn to in nature? What time of year do I like best? In winter, what nurtures me?"
Cut out pictures of rooms you find appealing in magazines and flyers. Which colours are you most attracted to?
Experiment with colours in a smaller room (like the bathroom), where there won't be great expanses of colour. Or paint only one wall. If you really don't feel ready to commit to a colour, place a large chip of paint on the wall and live with it for awhile to see how you feel about it. (To get the really big chips, ask for the decorator's kit at the paint store or buy a small can of paint and create your own chip.)