It is absolutely no secret that the way you decorate your house can affect the feeling in the house. A warm, cozy farmhouse-style house feels vastly different than a modern industrial-style home. This idea is pretty straightforward, the different styles are meant to portray a different mood, aesthetic, or, as the cool kids say, vibe. But, is it a secret, that there are different factors other than style that can affect the feeling of a room? To be honest, this may not be a secret to everyone, or even many people at all. Regardless, this tip needs to be shared… use color theory to invoke certain moods and again, as the cool kids say, vibes.
This blog is going to take you on a journey through the rainbow, and the pot of gold at the end is the knowledge of being able to incorporate different colors into your home interior with the intention of invoking particular moods and ~vibes~. First, we are going to go through each color, giving a brief description of the moods the color invokes, and how the color can be used (or removed if necessary) to achieve the wanted interior feeling. Once each color is adequately dissected and described, we will give you a few other color-related tips you can use in your interior design plans!
RED (Wright’s Version)
Red can express very bold feelings, and depending on the context the feelings expressed can be vastly different.
How to Use: Some feelings that are associated with red are romance, love, and passion. Think about Valentine's Day, Cupid, and the significance of the red rose! This means the color red can be used in elements of areas where you want a spark of love or romance, like a master bedroom! A red pillow or a sophisticated painting with red could do just that!
Have you ever wondered why there are a lot of red kitchens? Well, red is said to help increase a person’s appetite, making it a great color to utilize in your kitchen and/or dining room.
Caution: Red can also insight feelings like aggression, danger, and anger. Therefore, it is important to show discretion when using this color. It can overpower a space, and create unwanted moods.
ORANGE
Orange is a warm color that can induce a variety of feelings. The overall association with the color orange is happiness and who doesn’t need a little happiness in their homes?
How to Use: Orange makes a great primary color or accent in a child’s room since it is associated with youthfulness! It can also provide a feeling of increased energy, so using orange decor, rugs, or wall colors in places of productivity can be beneficial. Orange also induces feelings of enthusiasm, friendliness, health, and confidence. If you are decorating a child’s room or a room meant for productivity, like a home office, consider adding some orange decor or design elements!
Caution: Caution. No that is not a typo, orange is also heavily associated with caution, which can put off the wrong mood and vibe if overdone. In general, orange can be very bright and eye-catching, so when using orange to decorate ensure you love the piece, as others are sure to look at it!
YELLOW
You’re my sunshine… on a cloudy day. When we think of yellow, we think of sunshine: bright, vibrant, hopeful, and happy. Ironically, like sunshine in the gray cloudy sky, yellow makes a great accent color to monochromatic gray spaces.
How to Use: Yellow has very similar uses to orange! It would be a great color to add to a home office or a child’s room. A different mood yellow can bring forth creativity. Aside from a child’s room or a home office, yellow would be a great color to add to a kitchen, a playroom, or any type of creative studio.
Caution: Yellow has other associates like illness and madness, so like every other color on this list, moderation is key!
GREEN
Using green in your house will have all your friends, “green with envy.” Green is a color that can added to the interior design in a very natural and subtle way. If you are looking for a natural pop of color, green may be your color. Green has a somewhat rustic feeling to it, depending on the shade.
How to Use: Green is a very natural color, and what is more natural than plants? Adding plants to a space has even more benefits than just the color! Check out our previous blog, The Benefits of Green Spaces in Your Home, to learn even more! The color green creates a calm and healthy mood for the space it inhabits. Luck is a mindset, the luckier you believe you are, suddenly, the luckier you are! Green has a heavy association with luck, and while this may be a placebo effect, luck is luck, soak it in, lucky dog.
Caution: The different shades of green can invoke a different feeling, be mindful of the green you are choosing for the desired effect you want!
BLUE
From the sea to the sky, blue is all around us! Is it in your home? It should be! Blue is a great tool to keep in your interior design toolbox because it is a very powerful color!
How to Use: Need to feel calm? Find a room with some blue and soak up those relaxing vibes! Blue is a very tranquil color, which can be great in a living room, bathroom, or bedroom! Like green, blue is also a very natural color, but instead of some of the rustic vibes, blue puts off fresh and clean natural feelings!
Caution: The saying “feeling blue.” That’s it, that’s the caution. Not really, but blue is associated with sadness so again, there can be too much of a good thing, and the use of the color could produce negative outcomes.
PURPLE
Oh, so you are boujee, boujee?? The color of royalty, purple can be a great color to use in the design of a home.
How to Use: Since the color purple is associated with royalty, it can add a touch of luxury to a space. It is also known to have an element of mystery and magic, which can really bring some flare and spunk to a space!
Caution: Not to sound like a broken record, but, make sure to use the color in moderation.
PINK
Pink is not just for a Barbie girl, in a Barbie World!! Pink can be incorporated into homes in a variety of beautiful ways! Do not let society decide what colors you use, and how you use them!
How to Use: The color pink is great for a delicate touch. It inspires a playful vibe, again great from spaces meant for children, like bedrooms and playrooms. Another amazing place to use the color pink could possibly be in a living room with throw pillows.
Caution: The color pink while being associated with women and girls, is also associated with children. This can portray a sense of immaturity in the space.
WHITE
We are friends right, would you like to know something embarrassing? It took us just a few seconds too long to figure out how to make the text white, and still show up. But nonetheless, we prevailed! We felt it was only right to be completely transparent and honest when talking about the color white.
How to Use: Honestly, where can you not use white? White is a great base color for a lot of spaces! If the space is small, using white wall paint and white decor can brighten and widen the space!
Caution: Whew, finally, not us telling you to use a color in moderation! The main thing to keep in mind here is how dirty white decor can get! If you have a messy lifestyle, this color may not be sustainable for you. This would have the exact opposite appeal of being clean and pure!
BLACK
Some people say black is not even a real color and is actually just an absorption of all other colors. In this blog, we will be calling it a color, for argument's sake!
How to Use: Black can be a great way to pull a room together. It is a great neutral color, that can both stand alone or act as an accent color. Black can portray luxury and sophistication, which can be great in master bedrooms or in any room! Black is a great color to use if the desired style is modern and industrial!
Caution: Black can promote feelings of loneliness or fear, moderation is again needed here!
BROWN
We would dare to call this color, the neutral of all neutrals! A great base color for a variety of color palettes, and so many ways to use the color!
How to Use: A lot of furniture is the perfect way to add shades of brown! Wood furniture is beautiful, and adds texture and color variety to a space! Brown in a great earth tone, bringing in natural vibes to your home!
Caution: Brown can be layered, but be careful not to let the room fall flat. There still needs to be other colors in the room!
GREY
We actually have no clue if it is spelled gray or grey, what do you think? Another amazing neutral color that can be a great color foundation for a variety of color palettes!
How to Use: Gray can be used as an accent color, especially in modern homes that tend to stray away from using bright colors! More commonly, it is the base color for a color pallet that does incorporate some pops of color! Grey can help innovation, and self-control, making it a great color for any room but especially offices!
Caution: Grey is great, but it can be bland. Make sure you still give your space some life! Even if you want a monochromatic, all-grey house; you can play with textures and shades to create dimension!
Other Things to Keep in Mind:
Different shades of different colors can adjust the mood or vibes of the color. Pastels, or lighter shades, tend to come off more youthful and bright. Darker, or more muted shades can decrease the boldness and allow the color to be less aggressive!
Colors can be combined to create an entire interior design concept and theme!
Complementary colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel, and these two colors complement each other nicely and help each other stand out! This is super important to keep in mind when decorating with a variety of colors.
Analogous colors are directly next to each other on the color wheel. These colors are all close in shades and pair well together!
An easy ratio to help decorate with color is the 60-30-10 rule. This means one color should take up approximately 60% of the room. The secondary color should take 30%, and the accent color can take up the remaining 10%.