Colour Associations

Fortunately for me, I decided to go to this season’s furniture market in Las Vegas - never having been to Vegas before, it was very obvious shortly after the plane landed, that this weeks article would have to be about colour. Las Vegas is a crazy kaleidoscope of colours and is the perfect venue for such a task. For those of you who find choosing the perfect paint colour a little unnerving, sit back as we take a look at the world of colour. Over the next few articles we are going to explore some of the basics of colour theory and colour associations.

Colour is a powerful element and evokes all sorts of emotions and associations. Of the seven elements of design, which are: light, line, space, form, texture, pattern and colour - colour is probably the most expressive. In addition to colours being broken into the two distinct categories of warm and cool, colour also contains properties that produce certain psychological effects. Colour can alter our moods and can create feelings from bordom to excitement. One of the more apparent properties of colour is the ability to make rooms or objects appear larger or smaller. Light and cool colours will visually expand space; dark and warm colours will enclose a space. If you have a large room and want to make it feel a bit cozier, this is where a rich colour like a brick red or a chocolate brown might be the perfect antidote. Colour will also affect your eyes perception of weight. Dark or bright colours will appear to be heavier than objects of a lighter or cooler colour. Now for an amazing fact – the colour of the room you are in can actually raise or lower your body’s temperature between 5 and 7 degrees F !

We all have our favorite colours and react to colour a little bit differently. With colour having such and effect on the way we feel, it really does make sense to give serious consideration to the colours we paint our walls. Listed below are a few fun facts about some of the colours we love….. or maybe don’t love so much.

Red – associates with courage, passion, love, excitement, danger, anger, and fire. Since it is a lively and stimulating colour, it should be used with care. Red is said to stimulate the appetite. A nice raspberry red may be the perfect colour in your dining room (paired with heavy white or off- white mouldings red will look gorgeous). Or try red in an entry for nice little punch of colour.
Blue – associates with honesty, loyalty, masculinity, tranquility and formality. Blue is soothing and calming, reminding us of water and sky. Blue is difficult to mix and varies under different lighting. Blue can be somber or cold if not used effectively. A perfect spot to try a light blue might be the ceiling of a small room – this will seem to lift the ceiling and give a sense of airiness.
Yellow – associates with sunlight, optimism, warmth, enlightenment or cowardice. Yellow is a great colour for a kitchen, laundry room or any room that needs a touch of sunshine. Too harsh a yellow is said to cause irritation.
Green – associates with nature, serenity, hope, envy and peace. Green is a great mixer and is easy to live with. It creates a restful and soothing environment – so you can use green in any room in your house. Green is also said to enhance concentration, which makes it a good colour choice for an office. If you want to add a little kick to a room try a chartreuse or a lime