cart0

Home Decorating Tips

Color Psychology: The Science of House Colors

color psychology: how do colors affect mood & emotions

Home Decorating Tips

Color Psychology: The Science of House Colors

Posted on October 24, 2019

Choosing the colors for your home is probably the most exciting part of DIY painting. But don’t just color the interior of your house based on your personal favorites! Consider the psychological effects of colors and how you can use these to influence moods and behaviors inside your home.

What Is Color Psychology?

Think about your favorite color. What about it makes it eye-catching for you? Does it make you feel a certain way?

Color psychology is the study of hues and their variety of effects. See, color is more than a visual element. It can create optical illusions and make spaces look bigger, smaller, rounder and what have you. Color is also an experience that may bring up memories or cause you to feel a certain way. Colors can project your personality or help establish who you are when making or meeting new acquaintances.

When picking your interior house colors, it should be helpful to take these effects into consideration. Careful planning should leave you with a visually pleasing color scheme consisting of hues that have the right influences over mood and behavior.

Interior House Colors: Choose Your Colors Wisely

In addition to listing down colors that appeal to you, another question you have to consider is what mood or vibe are you trying to capture with each room? Once you’ve locked that down, this listing of colors and their psychological effects should help you shortlist some colors.

  • Blue is one of the most popular choices for the bedroom as it produces a calm and cool ambiance. Online readings say that those who have a liking for blue are trustworthy, loyal and strong.
  • Yellow creates a space of happiness, optimism and inspiration. The color is a go-to for a reading room, study and the kitchen where creativity is usually called for.
  • Purple combines relaxation and serenity, as it is a color of royalty, luxury and wealth.
  • Red is the color of passion and energy, and is usually used for rooms and spaces for pumped-up leisure and entertainment.
  • Green is also calming and relaxing, but with a subtle kick of energy and a touch of being grounded. An earth color, studies say that those who like green believe in balance, stability and persistence.
  • Pink is commonly associated with qualities that are feminine, innocent and romantic. It is the most delicate and tamed in the red family.
  • Brown breathes security, simplicity, contentment and comfort, and is a popular color for lounges or where families usually gather.
  • Orange appeals to the appetite that’s why it’s commonly used for kitchens and dining rooms. It demands attention but also promotes warmth and harmony.
  • White represents cleanliness and evokes a cool, refreshing feeling. Whites are not always cold. There are warmer shades of white that help make a room feel cozier.
  • Black is about elegance, mystery and power. A versatile shade, black can stand in the background or be the bold and dramatic focal wall in any room.
  • Gray works well with most colors. Classic and intelligent, gray creates lively and inviting spaces when paired with warm colors.

Need more color options? Check out more from the unconventional or festive sides of the spectrum.

Create Harmony by Understanding the Color Wheel

Pairing and picking the right colors require understanding the basics! Understanding these basic color concepts should help you come up with unique and cohesive color schemes:

  • Primary colors: yellow, red and blue
  • Secondary colors: green (from yellow & blue), orange (from yellow & red), purple (blue & red)
  • Tertiary colors: primary colors with secondary colors
  • Complementary colors: those opposite each other on the color wheel – they complement each other and produce a neutral color.
prima satin 300stn white


With over 240 colors to choose from, let Island Prima help you get that long-lasting interior house colors for your home.

Island Premium Paints is the first and only locally produced paint with a Product Satisfaction Guarantee

.

Our Products

Our line of high quality paints and products will give your home or project the vibrancy it needs.

Explore Colors

Ready to explore colorful possibiliies today? View our popular paint colo combination palettes for great color schemes and room design ideas for interior and exteriors.

Where to Buy

Get high-quality colors and finishes for your project from authorized Island paints dealers.