Color Psychology
Color psychology is the study of the effects that colors have on people. This study is important to interior designers and artists; but also has applications in marketing, branding, and even medicine. Colors can influence our behavior, attitudes and opinions, convey a message or create an emotional response.
Colors has psychological effects on people's moods and actions which means that you can use color to make your space more inviting for its inhabitants' well-being. The colors in your home should express your personality and lifestyle. You can use colors to create a mood, set the tone for an event or add visual interest. In public spaces, the colors should reflect the activities and the type of atmosphere for that environment to be an impactful design.
Colors is a powerful tool that can be used to improve your mood and productivity, as well as help you relax and focus. Certain colors has been shown to affect the way we feel, think, and behave in a variety of ways:
Red: increases heart rate and blood pressure; arouses the senses
Orange: creates feelings of warmth and comfort
Yellow: stimulates mental activity; brightens moods; helps bring sunshine into darker rooms or corners where light doesn't reach
Green: increases productivity; reduces stress levels; encourages relaxation
Blue: reduces stress; promotes feelings of calm and relaxation; helps you get a good night's sleep
Purple: stimulates imagination and creativity; encourages feelings of peace and serenity
Color can sway thinking; it may change opinions and attitudes more than any other aspect of design. The words of the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright,
"The practical value of color lies in its power to create emotion."
In fact, consciously and subconsciously, colors have proven to have a strong psychological effect. Different colors have different effects and influence on our moods and emotions. The use of warm colors like oranges and reds has been shown to raise energy levels; cool colors like blues and greens tend to lower them.
Colors can also influence how we perceive objects. For example, white paint on walls can make a room look larger than it actually is, while black paint makes it seem smaller. Colors can also affect how fast we think and react; and how creative or analytical we are. In addition to the cultural meanings of colors, there are also color preferences. People have different preferences for certain colors and these preferences may be determined by culture. For example, red is considered a highly desirable color in Western cultures, while blue is more favorable in East Asian countries (Davis & Dembo, 2002). These differences in preference can influence how people react to specific colors.
Color meanings are not universal; they vary across cultures and contexts. For example, red may be associated with luck or happiness for one culture but bad luck or death for another (Turner et al., 2016). This means that a given color can have very different meanings depending on where it is used and who uses it. To use colors effectively when designing, it important to understanding what each specific shade means to communicate effectively across borders.