The Best Colors for Each Room of Your Home
The colors we use in our home are primarily chosen for their appeal and our personal preferences. But, there is a science of sorts behind color that is more than simple aesthetics. Color psychology purports that every tone evokes a mood or emotional and behavioral response. As such, there are certain tones that are best for each room of your home.
To incorporate color to maximize the emotional well-being of yourself and your family, consider the function of each room and choose a principal hue for each that accentuates the room’s purpose. For example, bedrooms are for rest, so colors should be those that are peaceful and relaxing rather than stimulating.
Below are guidelines to assist you in choosing the best colors for each room in your home.
Living Rooms, Family Rooms and Entryways
These areas are where families and guests engage in conversation and interact socially. Warm colors that include reds, yellows, oranges and earth tones such as browns and beige encourage and stimulate conversation, which helps form a social connection. Using or combining one or more warm hues in these spaces will create a feeling of community.
Kitchens
As with Living and Family Rooms, warm colors can work well in kitchens as they are also a social hub of the home. A word to the weight conscious, red does tend to incite an appetite, so if you want to curb your appetite, it might be best to keep red out of the kitchen. Other good color options for the kitchen are those that you recall fondly from the kitchen of your youth. If your parent’s or grandparent’s kitchen was yellow, blue or white, and those memories evoke a sweet nostalgia, then those tones can work well to create a similar mood in your own kitchen.
Dining Rooms
In the Dining Room, where the purpose is to eat and enjoy, reds work extremely well. It encourages interaction, awakens the appetite and stimulates activity and social interactions.
Bedrooms
A sanctuary of rest, relaxation and reconnection with your significant other, the bedroom calls for calming, soothing tones. Cooler colors that fall within the blue and green spectrum are most fitting to rejuvenation while it is wise to steer clear of energizing reds, which tend to raise your heart rate and blood pressure.
For children’s rooms, they may choose specific and often bright hues, for example pink a common choice for girl’s bedrooms. Color helps your children express their unique personalities but the vibrancy and emotional impact of the color choice should be taken into account to ensure your child gets a good night’s rest.
Bathrooms
One important aspect of choosing color for your bathrooms is to pick hues that are flattering and appealing. Blues, greens and even turquoise tend to be clean, calm and complimentary colors. As with the rest of your home, if there are particular tones that you simply don’t like, those are definitely tones to avoid in your bathrooms.
Home Offices
This space should be one that evokes productivity and focus. Green tones tend to incite concentration and efficiency. It is also a color that most people find easy to be surrounded by for extended periods, allowing you to focus on the task at hand without becoming over or under stimulated.
Home Fitness Rooms
A place of movement and motivation, blues, greens and yellows are best for home gyms, primarily because they arouse a feeling of happiness. Reds and oranges are other options thanks to their inspiring and energizing aspects, but they can also make us feel physically warm, which may not be best for a workout space.
What Shade Works Best?
The darker the hue, the more pronounced effect the color has on your emotional state, so a darker blue will be more calming than a lighter version. Using a darker, restful color in your bedroom promotes a good night’s rest while using a lighter color in your bathroom evokes a sense of cleanliness and light. Again, consider the purpose of each room into consideration when deciding on the saturation of color.
For more information on choosing the right hue for each room in your Atherton or Menlo Park home based on the emotions it creates, consult this color psychology chart.
