Each year interior decorators and color consultants help thousands of people choose colors for home décor. These are always chosen from a chart that includes the latest color trends. Color can make or break a room, so it’s important to choose a color that you like that will give your room a spectacular look.
The Influence of Color
We learn about color from the day we are born. By the time we are two years old, we show an inclination toward a favorite color. Because of this, and the influence that color plays in our lives, children of a very young age should help to choose color for their bedroom and playroom when it is being redecorated.
Where we live influences our color choices. Home décor books that feature other countries reveal that similar colors show up time after time. If you study the magazines, you’ll notice a trend. Those who live in cooler climates tend to choose warmer colors and those who live in warmer climates choose cooler colors. This is logical. Cool climates are warmed by reds, yellows, oranges and greens. Warmer climates are cooled by purples, blues and turquoise tones.
Color Trends
Decorating magazines influence our color choices. Santa Fe style décor used earthy tones of brown and blues. In the 1980’s, peach and teal topped the color trends. Burgundy and greens were popular color choices during the 1990’s. The new millennium has brought a modern look using gray, taupe, gold, yellow and purple tones. The future color trend will bring back the oranges that were popular during the 1970’s.
If you’ve just purchased a Victorian home, or one from another circa that you plan to restore, be sure to research the color schemes of the era to emulate the original structure. Victorian colors ran the full gauntlet of the color spectrum. At the beginning of the era, colors were intense. By the end of that period, browns, dark reds, ochre, plums and bronze were sprinkled with splashes of brighter color.
Georgian colors were influenced by the Chinese and are associated with hues of green, blue and red. Art and Craft colors were influenced by the colors used in pottery of that time; gray, blue, green, terra cotta and other earthy tones bring out a certain ambiance in Georgian homes.
The media and modern modes of travel have helped us to see how others live. This has helped to change the way that color influences us. We’re often inspired by what we see and then use our imagination to envision different color schemes. For instance, during the Roaring Twenties, King Tut’s tomb was unearthed. Egyptian motifs and colors were the “in” thing. Home décor themes included greens, blues, reds, white, yellows and black. All of these colors played a part in ancient Egypt mythology.
Color and our feelings
We all react emotionally to color. Our personal preferences are not always logical. Our favorite color has more to do with positive and negative influence than color itself. The way we use colors in our home décor tells a lot about our personality and inner feelings. Interior decorating color trends reflect only what people will accept at that particular point in time.
Meanings of Color
In the western world, certain associations with color have become common. Here are a few colors and what they are associated with:
Purple – royalty, religion, spirituality, insanity, dignity and creativity.
Red – excitement, passion, danger, anger, and temper.
Orange – thirst quenching, cheerful and exuberant.
Green – new life, rebirth, prosperity, nature, relaxation and passiveness.
Blue – calmness, honesty, loyalty, depression, cold, trust, longevity, refreshing the soul.
Certain hues on the color spectrum are associated with status. Simple colors are preferred by most people. Complex colors that have no names or cannot be easily described appeal to those of the upper aristocracy.
Bright colors are regarded as cheap by aristocrats, while paler colors and earth tones are believed to be sophisticated and classy. Take a look at home décor, fashion magazines, billboards, TV commercials and business ads. The colors used in these publications pin-point the advertisers’ tentative market.
Color is fascinating and full of surprises. If you are planning a home décor project, be sure to research the what, why and how of colors. Knowing and understanding color will make your decorating choices much easier and provide the “look” that you are seeking.
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Color in Home Decorating - This website is full of information and tips on using color in home decor