{{COLORCOLOR

“Residential Housing and Interiors” (Good-Heart Wilcox)

A space absent of color would not give any A space absent of color would not give any interest to the person occupying the spaceinterest to the person occupying the space Color creates a mood within a room, and can Color creates a mood within a room, and can

communicate excitement, romance or solitudecommunicate excitement, romance or solitude Many color perceptions affect the way Many color perceptions affect the way

people feel about a room, space or objectpeople feel about a room, space or object People make associations with colors based on People make associations with colors based on

past experiencespast experiences Each color has its own characteristics and Each color has its own characteristics and

common psychological impactcommon psychological impact

The Psychology of The Psychology of ColorColor

Careful color consideration should be Careful color consideration should be used in each area of the homeused in each area of the home The social area of a home should be The social area of a home should be

decorated in colors that will make all decorated in colors that will make all members feel comfortablemembers feel comfortable

Bedrooms should be decorated in colors Bedrooms should be decorated in colors that make the occupants feel relaxed that make the occupants feel relaxed

Dressing areas should be free of harsh Dressing areas should be free of harsh colors that may contrast with choosing colors that may contrast with choosing clothingclothing

The Psychology of The Psychology of ColorColor

List each color on a piece of paper. List each color on a piece of paper. Next to the color, list the first word that Next to the color, list the first word that comes to mind when you hear the color. comes to mind when you hear the color. Do not think for too long. Do not think for too long.

ActivityActivity

• Black • Orange• Brown • Yellow• White • Green• Pink • Blue• Red • Purple

REDRED Associated with danger, Associated with danger,

power, love, passion, power, love, passion, anger, fire and strengthanger, fire and strength

Bold, exciting, and Bold, exciting, and warmwarm

Stimulates the nervous Stimulates the nervous system and increases system and increases blood pressure, blood pressure, respiration rate and respiration rate and heartbeatheartbeat

It should be used with It should be used with care in designcare in design

Can be lightened or Can be lightened or darkened to create darkened to create other colorsother colors

ORANGEORANGE Cheerful, warm, Cheerful, warm,

less aggressive less aggressive than redthan red

Expresses Expresses friendliness, friendliness, courage, courage, hospitality, energy hospitality, energy and hopeand hope

Mixes well with Mixes well with cool colorscool colors

YELLOWYELLOW Cheerful, friendly, warmCheerful, friendly, warm Associated with Associated with

happiness, sunlight, happiness, sunlight, sympathy, prosperity, sympathy, prosperity, cowardice, and wisdomcowardice, and wisdom

Yellow rooms are light Yellow rooms are light and airyand airy

Should be used with Should be used with care because they care because they demand attentiondemand attention

Gold provides a Gold provides a luxurious touch and luxurious touch and usually used in accents usually used in accents and accessoriesand accessories

Yellows take on the Yellows take on the tones of other colors and tones of other colors and add flattering highlightsadd flattering highlights

GREENGREEN

Refreshing, the color Refreshing, the color of nature, cool, of nature, cool, peaceful and friendlypeaceful and friendly

Associated with hope, Associated with hope, envy, and good luckenvy, and good luck

Mixes well with other Mixes well with other colors and looks good colors and looks good with whitewith white

BLUEBLUE

Has the opposite Has the opposite effect of red effect of red

Cool, calm and Cool, calm and reservedreserved

Communicates Communicates serenity, tranquility, serenity, tranquility, and formalityand formality

Too much blue can Too much blue can be depressingbe depressing

VIOLETVIOLET

Color of royalty, dignity, Color of royalty, dignity, and mysteryand mystery

Dramatic and works Dramatic and works well with other colorswell with other colors

Often used in small Often used in small amounts as an accentamounts as an accent

BLACKBLACK

Mysterious, severe and Mysterious, severe and dramaticdramatic

Symbolizes wisdom, evil, Symbolizes wisdom, evil, and deathand death

Small amounts help other Small amounts help other colors appear more vividcolors appear more vivid

Makes other colors Makes other colors appear more crisp and appear more crisp and clearclear

Use large amounts Use large amounts sparingly, as it can sparingly, as it can appear oppressive and appear oppressive and claustrophobicclaustrophobic

WHITEWHITE The symbol of The symbol of

youth, freshness, youth, freshness, innocence, purity, innocence, purity, faith and peacefaith and peace

Makes other Makes other colors appear colors appear cleaner and cleaner and livelier livelier

BROWNBROWN

Serious, down-to-earth, Serious, down-to-earth, and approachableand approachable

Signifies warmth, Signifies warmth, stability, reliability, stability, reliability, structure, and supportstructure, and support

Good in rooms that get Good in rooms that get a lot of use such as a lot of use such as family roomsfamily rooms

http://dotcave.com/freebies/free-dry-leaf-texture-designs/

The full range of all existing colorsThe full range of all existing colors The color wheel is the most commonly The color wheel is the most commonly

used tool for understanding color used tool for understanding color relationships in designrelationships in design

The middle ring consists of three types The middle ring consists of three types of colors:of colors: PrimaryPrimary SecondarySecondary IntermediateIntermediate

The Color SpectrumThe Color Spectrum

The Color WheelThe Color Wheel

Color Color CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Hue is the name of the Hue is the name of the colorcolor

Value is the lightness or Value is the lightness or darkness of a huedarkness of a hue A tint is when white is A tint is when white is

added to make it lighter added to make it lighter A shade is when black is A shade is when black is

added to make it darkeradded to make it darker Intensity is the Intensity is the

brightness or dullness brightness or dullness of a hueof a hue

The complement of a The complement of a hue is the color directly hue is the color directly opposite of it on the opposite of it on the color wheel and can be color wheel and can be used to dull each otherused to dull each other

Some colors may make a room seem Some colors may make a room seem warmer or cooler even though the warmer or cooler even though the temperature of a house is the sametemperature of a house is the same

Warm colors are orange, red, and yellowWarm colors are orange, red, and yellow Called advancing colors, make objects appear Called advancing colors, make objects appear

larger or closer, but a room appears smallerlarger or closer, but a room appears smaller Associated with warm objects such as the sun Associated with warm objects such as the sun

and fireand fire Cool colors are blue, green and violetCool colors are blue, green and violet

Called receding colors, make objects seem Called receding colors, make objects seem smaller and further away, but a room looks smaller and further away, but a room looks largerlarger

Associated with grass, water and treesAssociated with grass, water and trees

Warm and Cool Warm and Cool ColorsColors

Neutral ColorsNeutral Colors Black, white and Black, white and

graygray White is totally White is totally

absent of color, black absent of color, black is a mixture of all is a mixture of all colors and gray is a colors and gray is a combination of black combination of black and whiteand white

Brown, tan and Brown, tan and beige are considered beige are considered near-neutralsnear-neutrals These are usually These are usually

based on red, orange based on red, orange and yellow huesand yellow hues

Natural light is energy supplied by the sun in Natural light is energy supplied by the sun in wavelengths which range in size from short wavelengths which range in size from short (ultraviolet) and long (infrared)(ultraviolet) and long (infrared)

There is a very small band of light that is visible There is a very small band of light that is visible and its colors are seen in a color bandand its colors are seen in a color band

Natural light changes throughout the day Natural light changes throughout the day causing colors to have different tints at different causing colors to have different tints at different times of the daytimes of the day

Always choose colors under the light that will be Always choose colors under the light that will be used in the roomused in the room

Cool colors need warm light and vice versaCool colors need warm light and vice versa

THE EFFECT OF LIGHT THE EFFECT OF LIGHT ON COLORON COLOR

OTHER COLOR OTHER COLOR EFFECTSEFFECTS

Effect of adjacent colorsEffect of adjacent colors Colors change when Colors change when

placed next to othersplaced next to others Some can intensify and Some can intensify and

others dullothers dull Effect of texture on colorEffect of texture on color

Flat, shiny surfaces reflect Flat, shiny surfaces reflect light and can enhance light and can enhance colorcolor

Dull, soft or textured Dull, soft or textured surfaces make color seem surfaces make color seem less intense and darkerless intense and darker

Effect of color on spaceEffect of color on space Colors gain intensity when Colors gain intensity when

they cover large areasthey cover large areas

The Brewster The Brewster SystemSystem

The standard color The standard color wheelwheel

Best known and Best known and simplest of all the color simplest of all the color wheels wheels

Is also called the Prang Is also called the Prang system system

Based on the primary Based on the primary hueshues

Includes primary, Includes primary, secondary and secondary and intermediate colors for intermediate colors for a total of 12 colorsa total of 12 colors

The Ostwald SystemThe Ostwald System

Uses yellow, Uses yellow, orange, red, purple, orange, red, purple, blue, turquoise, sea blue, turquoise, sea green and leaf green and leaf greengreen

Mixing these hues Mixing these hues with black or white with black or white will create 24 hueswill create 24 hues

The Munsell SystemThe Munsell System A system of color A system of color

notation that notation that scientifically scientifically describes and describes and analyzes color in analyzes color in terms of hue, value terms of hue, value and chroma (the and chroma (the Greek word for Greek word for color)color)

Has a total of 100 Has a total of 100 different colorsdifferent colors

Color SchemesColor Schemes

Certain colors Certain colors used together in used together in designdesign

There are seven There are seven basic color basic color harmoniesharmonies

MONOCHROMATICMONOCHROMATIC Based on a single hue Based on a single hue

and is the simplest and is the simplest color harmonycolor harmony

Variation is achieved Variation is achieved by changing the value by changing the value and intensity of a hue and intensity of a hue and by adding neutral and by adding neutral accentsaccents

Makes a room appear Makes a room appear larger and unifiedlarger and unified

ANALOGOUSANALOGOUS Combines three to Combines three to

five adjacent related five adjacent related hues on the color hues on the color wheelwheel

Looks best when one Looks best when one color is dominantcolor is dominant

Examples:Examples: Yellow, yellow-orange, Yellow, yellow-orange,

and orangeand orange Green, blue-green, Green, blue-green,

and blueand blue

COMPLEMENTARY COMPLEMENTARY

Combining two hues Combining two hues that are directly that are directly opposite each other opposite each other on the standard on the standard color wheel color wheel

Makes the colors Makes the colors appear more intenseappear more intense

ExamplesExamples Red/green, Red/green,

yellow/purple, yellow/purple, orange/blueorange/blue

SPLIT SPLIT COMPLEMENTARYCOMPLEMENTARY Combining one hue Combining one hue

and the two hues on and the two hues on each side of its each side of its complementcomplement

ExamplesExamples Red-orange, green, and Red-orange, green, and

blueblue Yellow, blue-violet, and Yellow, blue-violet, and

red-violetred-violet

TRIADICTRIADIC Combination of any Combination of any

three colors that are three colors that are of equal distance of equal distance from each otherfrom each other

The most common is The most common is the three primaries: the three primaries: red, blue and yellowred, blue and yellow

This can be tricky This can be tricky because of the sharp because of the sharp contrastcontrast

DOUBLE DOUBLE COMPLEMENTCOMPLEMENT Combines two Combines two

sets of color sets of color complementscomplements

Examples:Examples: Red/green and Red/green and

blue/orangeblue/orange

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/282705/list/choosing-hues-roll-with-the-color-wheel

NEUTRALSNEUTRALS Made by using Made by using

combinations of black, combinations of black, white and graywhite and gray

Shades of cream, brown, Shades of cream, brown, tan and beige may also be tan and beige may also be usedused

If only one of any of these If only one of any of these colors is used in a space, colors is used in a space, it is still considered a it is still considered a neutral color schemeneutral color scheme

http://www.housetohome.co.uk/bedroom/picture/relaxed-neutral-bedroom

Consider color harmonies that happen in natureConsider color harmonies that happen in nature Ex: earth tonesEx: earth tones

Think about the fabric you want to use or a Think about the fabric you want to use or a painting you want to hang in the roompainting you want to hang in the room Pull colors from these samplesPull colors from these samples

Some places are able to match paint colors directly to Some places are able to match paint colors directly to samplessamples

Always choose a dominant colorAlways choose a dominant color Sometimes an equal amount of colors is overwhelmingSometimes an equal amount of colors is overwhelming

Color DecisionsColor Decisions