Interior Painting Tips and Color Psychology

The Psychology Behind Colors for Interior Painting

Everyone wants to do some interior painting at some point whether they hire a painting company or do it themselves. It makes a room or your home fresh, cleaner, and can improve the spirit of a room or the home interior. But what color should you choose? Well, it’s all subjective based on an individual’s taste, however, when you want to encourage certain emotions or mental reactions, there is some psychology behind choosing colors.

Studies have proven that certain colors trigger different parts of the brain to have various mental effects. Warm colors like red, orange and yellow tend to be more stimulating and can be associated with hunger. Cool colors like blue and green can make a room feel more peaceful.

While you may or may not want to paint entire rooms certain colors, utilizing other colors as accents in fabrics, curtains, furniture or accent walls could also help encourage some of the same moods affects.

Whatever your desired theme, we hope that you find some of the psychology behind colors helpful with your interior painting decisions.

White

The universal color of peace, purity, cleanliness and brightness, white will certainly add a nice lightness to space. It is the most common for doors and trim. White is also a standard color and you can’t go wrong with white.

Association: Cleanliness, Innocence, Peace, Purity, Refined, Sterile, Simplicity, Surrender, Truthfulness

Yellow

Can have conflicting messages. Bright and highly visible and is often used to get attention, create happiness and warmth. Yellow is also associated with a concentration and memory booster. It is a stimulating color, but if you have children that have trouble settling down, especially at night, you may want to go easy on yellow for a child’s bedroom.

Association: Caution, Cheerful, Cowardice, Curiosity, Happiness, Joy, Playful, Positivity, Sunshine, Warmth

Orange

Combining red and yellow’s attributes, it is often used to bring attention. Used often to imply playfulness, stimulate emotions and appetite. Similar to red and yellow, it should be used sparingly but not as much as red.

Association: Affordable, Creativity, Enthusiasm, Fun, Jovial, Lighthearted, High-Spirited, Youthful

Red

An intense color that can summon strong emotions from blood and warfare to love and passion. Often used to grab attention and also known to raise one’s blood pressure or make people hungry. Red is a color one will typically use sparingly. While the power of red can be stimulating, painting the entire bedroom red could affect sleep habits. Red is also a very difficult color to paint over when you’re ready to repaint, so keep that in mind. If you do paint with red, plan on a couple coats (or more) of primer before covering with another color.

Association: Action, Adventure, Aggression, Blood, Danger, Drive, Energy, Excitement, Love, Passion, Strength, Vigor

Pink

Mostly known as a feminine and pacifist color that conjures feelings of innocence and delicateness. Often used to show feminine flair. Although in the red family, it tends to be calming. Some prisons and opposing team locker rooms at sports facilities utilize pink. However, use sparingly because too much pink can be hard on the eyes.

Association: Appreciation, Delicate, Femininity, Floral, Gentle, Girly, Gratitude, Innocence, Romantic, Soft, Tranquil

Purple

Implies royalty, mystery, spirituality, and sophistication. As a combination of red and blue, it has both warm and cool properties. Often found in many education and luxury related designs. However, you can go overboard with purple and it is a very difficult color to cover if you decide to paint over it down the road.

Association: Ceremony, Expensive, Fantasy, Justice, Mystery, Nobility, Regal, Royalty, Sophistication, Spirituality

Blue

A calming color that stirs up images of authority, success, and security. Most people can say they like at least one shade of blue. Blue is also the most popular color in logo designs. It is a classic color for a bedroom that stimulates feelings of peacefulness and tranquility. It is a great color for those who are anxious or overstimulated.

Association: Authority, Calm, Confidence, Dignity, Established, Loyalty, Power, Success, Secure, Serene, Trustworthy

Green

Represents life and renewal. It is a restful and soothing color but can also represent jealousy and inexperience. Similar to Blue, the color green is a great soothing color for nature, peace, and quietness. Also a great color for anxiety.

Association: Crisp, Environmental, Fresh, Harmony, Health, Healing, Inexperience, Money, Nature, Renewal, Tranquility

Brown

Brown indicates nature, woodiness, and utility. It is often used for its simplicity, warmth, and neutrality.

Association: Calmness, Depth, Earth, Natural, Roughness, Richness, Simplicity, Serious, Subtle, Utility, Woodsy

Gray

Neutral and cool. Gray is often used in accents because it is neutral and goes well with many other colors.

Association: Authority, Corporate, Dullness, Humility, Moody, Practicality, Respect, Somberness, Stableness

Black

Black is often used as an indicator of power or authority. There are also many shades of black that are utilized in showing boldness, simplicity, or sophistication as well.

Association: Authority, Bold, Classic, Conservative, Distinctive, Formality, Mystery, Secrecy, Serious, Tradition

Getting and Interior Painting Estimate

Whichever color or colors you choose to paint in your home, keep in mind that if/when you decide to repaint some of the above colors are difficult to cover. Also, some colors may be better used as accents. So, if you’re looking for an estimate from a painter and they charge a little extra to paint a red room, now you will know why – it takes more paint and more time to paint over red or purples than other colors. But regardless, whatever color you choose, we’re sure it will look great!

If you’re looking for any advice or an estimate from a professional painter for some interior painting in Carmel Indiana, Noblesville Indiana or the surrounding Indianapolis area, we can help!

If you need color advice, we offer FREE color consultations with color experts through Sherwin-Williams and PPG Paints if you decide to utilize our services.

Call Legacy Painting at (317) 426-7228