Color Psychology

I find Color Psychology interesting --as we are in the process of having the interior of our town house painted from white to a kid friendly semi gloss ( fawn beige). Joel's son, Josh, has graciously accepted to take on the job (and I must say, the walls are starting to look awesome) He had worked professionally as a painter a couple Summers back, so he knows how to get the job done!

I have noticed that beige is a popular hue on the walls on some houses up for sale. Not only did the walls need repainting, (the builder definately didnt pick a family friendly type of paint) Eventually, We'd like to put our home up on the market in the near future (possibly Summer 2008)

I've noticed that depending on where the light hits the wall, it actually looks pale pink-- as some visitors to our home have noticed. It does indeed, have light pink undertones. As you get up close to the wall, it looks a bit "white" but an ecru color of white.

We don't seem to mind, as the color- "pink" actually has a psychological effect on people (see below)-- it produces the feeling of calm. I can say its true after having our upstairs loft finished, I do feel calmer. Our 5 year old son has autism, so Joel & I are praying that this "calmness" will produce that effect on him too-- especially on busy days (in which I will blog about those observations over the summer)

The Color Psychology of Pink

Pink is essentially a light red and is usually associated with love and romance.

Pink is thought to have a calming effect. One shade known as "drunk-tank pink" is sometimes used in prisons to calm inmates. Sports teams sometimes paint the opposing teams locker room pink to keep the players passive and less energetic.

While pink's calming effect has been demonstrated, researchers of color psychology have found that this effect only occurs during the initial exposure to the color. When used in prisons, inmates often become even more agitated once they become accustomed to the color.


How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors


Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions. - Pablo Picasso

What Is Color?

In 1666, English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light is passed through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors. Newton also found that each color is comprised of a single wavelength and cannot be separated any further into other colors.

Further experiments demonstrated that light could be combined to form other colors. For example, red light mixed with yellow light creates an orange color. A color resulting from a mix of two other colors is known as a metamer. Some colors, such as yellow and purple, cancel each other out when mixed and result in a white light. These competing colors are known as complements.

Color Psychology - The Psychological Effects of Color

While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color effects that have universal meaning.

Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange, and yellow. These warm colors evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility. Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colors and include blue, purple, and green. These colors are often described as calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference.

Color Psychology as Therapy

Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese, practiced chromotherapy, or using colors to heal. Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or colourology and is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment. In this treatment:

Red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation.
Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.
Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels.
Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.

Indigo shades were thought to alleviate skin problems.

Most psychologists view color therapy with skepticism and point out that the supposed effects of color have been exaggerated. Colors also have have different meanings in different cultures. Research has demonstrated in many cases that the mood-altering effects of color may only be temporary. A blue room may initially cause feelings of calm, but the effect will be dissipate after a short period of time.