Color as a Super Power for Your Soul

Color has the power to make us feel whether we know it consciously or not.
For instance, for decades I have used this trick - when I’m feeling tired, puny or sick and need to act and look alive, I reach into the closet to find hot pink or fuchsia. You may argue that it’s psychological, and I would have to agree!

The color of art may draw us in like a magnet. Poppies in a field, a calm blue lake, a bold abstract make us feel. Not just the subject matter, but the colors the artist has chosen will either resonate with us, or won’t.

The hue of a room has the ability to lift us up, calm us down or depress us. Consider a cloudy day versus a sunny day. Lighting in your space is important to your mood, whether it’s natural or artificial light.

The psychology of color is proven and I can’t help but to wonder... has this glacial trend of gray, dominating the interior design industry, contributed to the depression of a nation?

Having come from a climate with 300 days of sunshine a year to the Midwest, I’m shocked and surprised by how many homeowners jumped on the grey bandwagon, only to create a drab space, without regard to undertones.

My prescription for seasonal depression, is color!
Choosing the right hues and tones can make a huge difference in your outlook and mental health.

When I moved into my 60’s ranch home which was painted a dull white, I knew I couldn’t live like that. I chose a lively mint and creamy neutral with yellow undertones to warm my space without being too bold. The mint was fresh fun and retro. With the green undertones it was warmer than teal or other tones of blue. Mint brought the space to life. In my kitchen, I painted one wall a saturated shade of coral. Bold and exciting, bringing a happy energy into the heart of the home.

I made conscious choices as to what my spirit needed. I generally love deep colors, but the layout of the house and the lack of natural light didn’t support highly saturated colors. The eggplant loveseat, turquoise ottoman and burnt orange Overman chairs provided all the boldness I crave.

... has this glacial trend of gray, dominating the interior design industry
contributed to the depression of a nation?

Let's talk about Light Reflective Value LRV- For instance, Benjamin Moore paint assigns a LRV number to each color. The deeper the color the less light it will reflect. Think about a light gray roof verses a black roof. The black absorbs light, retaining heat, while the lighter roof reflects light.

COLOR & LIGHT
Light can bounce. Photographers use reflectors to bounce light. The same is true inside your home. You can use color or mirrors or artificial light to change how a color looks.

Cool white light bulbs verses warm white bulbs will change the way your color looks. Sunlight is considered a “blue light” but do you notice how it changes in the fall with it’s warmer glow?

If you are surrounded by nature, your color will look different in the winter than it does in the summer. So when choosing color, study it under different lighting conditions.

UNDERTONES MATTER
Considering using gray in your home?
There are things to consider and the best tip I can give you is to

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Gray Paint Guide