Your home is one of the most important spaces you will occupy. It should be a relaxing, fun place where you feel like you can truly be yourself. A large part of this comfort comes from the way your home is decorated inside. This starts with the color scheme in each room.
While this is often ignored, the base color of the paint on the walls is merely a foundation. The things you add can enhance and blend with that, and depending on how they are arranged can change the whole look and feel of a room.
Here are 7 tips for picking the right color in each room.
What are You Doing in There?
What you do in each room of your home largely determines the colors you should use. Soft colors for sleeping are best in the bedrooms, and bolder colors can serve you well in the living room or offices where you want to be more alert.
On the other hand, in the kitchen, one of the keys is light and brightness, so white or very reflective walls combined with features like a kitchen bay window make the space easier to work in, and improve your mood while you are there.
The Psychology of Color
Colors matter, and the psychology of color is the study of what effect certain colors have on our brain. Soft colors, like soft blues and yellows are more relaxing, while bolder colors inspire action, and colors like bright red, orange, and yellow can even induce anxiety in some people.
It is important to keep this in mind as you are decorating any room, including with the décor you are putting on the walls. Loud colors that give off sharp contrast can be distracting or even detrimental to the look of a room. Colors that are too soft in a living area or recreational room can be too subtle, making the room dull.
Hanging Around
Speaking of the décor you are putting on the walls, the key to this is that the pieces you choose should blend with the color of the walls, the furniture, and the other accessories in the room like plants and lamps.
A careful selection of art, clocks, and even mirrors can make a room seem brighter, bigger, and friendlier. If you struggle to know art and choose it, consult with someone who does, like an interior designer or a real estate agent familiar with staging.
Take it From the Top
When looking at the colors in a room, don’t forget to look up. This includes not only the color of the ceiling, but the light fixtures and ceiling fans that are often there. The color of the ceiling should be a fairly calm and neutral one in most cases, white being the most common.
However, there are times when you can take a risk, add something bolder, and still have the room work. This just means you need to be careful that the rest of the room does not clash and is not too bold.
All that to be said, looking up is always a good way to make sure the room really comes together the right way.
Mix it Up
What about an accent wall? Of course, there is nothing like mixing it up a little, and just like a bold ceiling can serve as an accent, so can an accent wall in a room. The key is to be careful. Pay attention to the things we have mentioned above: what you will be doing in the room, the psychology of color, and the decorations you use.
Still, sometimes the most unusual decision, the one that mixes it up, is the one that works the best. Feel free to explore and play with the areas and colors in your home.
Look Down
The flooring also matters a great deal when you are selecting the colors for each room. Dark hardwood floors or dark tile will influence the color you can put on the walls without making the room even darker.
If you are redecorating, the floors can be a great opportunity. Adding rugs strategically will make other colors pop and can complement walls and furniture as well. The key is that you simply can’t forget the floors when you are choosing the right color for a room, or your choice may turn out to be a poor one.
Each room will call for a different color depending on what you will be doing there, and what else is already in the room. Color sets the mood, and the wrong scheme can throw off your design ideas, make the room seem small and crowded, and even create feelings of anxiety.