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Tuesday, January 27, 2009 - B.C. and Calgary edition

What's the vibe today . . .

Psychology of colour

by Christine Budai

We all know that paint can be one of the least expensive and quickest ways to give a room a face-lift. We are also well versed in the importance of choosing a low VOC paint to avoid harmful off-gassing. But still, a trip to the paint store can be daunting, as the vast array of colours to choose from is often overwhelming. Understanding some of the emotional connections we have with colour can help narrow the search, especially when choosing a colour for your child’s room. Without realizing it, colour can have a profound effect on how we all feel, both mentally and physically. The following is a guide to some of the emotional associations that humans can have with colour.

Red

Red is the colour we pay most attention to. It is the warmest and most energetic colour in the spectrum and is associated with love, passion, danger, violence and adventure. Red can make the heart beat faster and because of its overpowering nature can lead to headaches. Red can also promote sociability, lively feelings and stimulates the appetite. Unless this is the mood you are hoping to achieve in your child’s room, this colour is probably best used in a dining room.

Pink

Pink is the colour of love and can be associated with feelings of peacefulness and restfulness - a great colour for the bedroom. To prevent the room from becoming overly sweet consider using accent colours of dark charcoal, black or chocolate brown.

Orange

Orange is associated with balance, warmth, enthusiasm and flamboyancy. Since orange is often used for attention getting purposes, it can tend to keep a person awake. Orange is also considered an advancing colour, so if using it, make sure the room gets plenty of light so the room won’t look smaller.

Blue

Blue represents peace, calm, tranquility and can promote intellectual thought. It is also said to prevent nightmares. Perfect for the bedroom! Just make sure you choose a blue with warm undertones so that the room does not look too cold.

Green

Green is the colour of balance as it sits between red and blue on the colour wheel. It is associated with feelings of calm and restfulness but can also bring on a sense of renewal. Another good bedroom colour.

Yellow

Yellow is sunshine and energy and can stimulate the intellect. Be careful with this one in a baby’s room though. Yellow may not be a very restful colour and can enhance feelings of emotional distress. Think you have a cranky baby? Maybe it’s just the colour of her walls!

Purple

Purple is also good for the bedroom. It is associated with creativity, fertility and joy. Using a shade of purple, like lilac, can also help create a stress-free sanctuary. Sounds heavenly!

So, the next time you make that trip to the paint store keep some of these tips in mind. You just might have that little firefighter sleeping like an angel. Who knew it could all be in the colour?

Along with being a decorating and colour guru, Christine Budai is co-owner of the online boutique Saplings Sustainable Kids Decor (www.saplings.ca).

B.C. archives | Calgary archives

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