Colours in Interior Design

When we say ‘Colour’, our mind wanders into a palette of different colours. Colours, light and dark, vibrant and pale, all sorts of them give different signals to our brain. Each colour has a meaning attached to it.

Different colors have different effects on the human mind and a combination of colours can work wonders. Few colours can be used as ‘accents’. Accents are colours used in small quantities to accentuate the ambiance of the room. Here are some colours which can be used on your walls, drapes and furniture. Their meanings will help you select where to use these colours.

Red is the colour of bravery and believed to carry good luck. It is a very popular and important colour in Asian societies. It is always seen on the walls in Chinese restaurants. A red wall in the house entrance suggests boldness. Red should not be used for a bedroom as it increases your heart rate, and what you usually want to do in your bedroom is relax and sleep. But red can be used in the living room walls or on sofas and drapes with a white backdrop.

Blue is a cool colour. It is quite calming and great for using in bathrooms and bedrooms. It can be teamed up with white, beige or yellow.

Orange is a warm and happy colour. It can be used for old people's homes and institutions as it is an anti depressant and decreases hostility and irritability. It makes you feel cheerful. Orange is a great colour to use as an accent. Throw around some bright orange cushions to brighten up a dull room or put some orange flowers in a vase for a lively room. You may use textured orange as a feature wall to create a focal point. Using colour in small amounts is a nice way to introduce strong hues into your home.

Yellow- think of it and you start feeling vibrant already. There are many meanings for the colour yellow, the most obvious ones being sunny, warm and radiant. Various shades of yellows to use are the ochre yellows, muddy yellows and antique golds. They have their own personality and go very well with timber furniture. Yellow is a great colour for painting your bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways, in fact you can use yellow almost everywhere. A deep shade of yellow for a dining room is also known to help digestion. Yellow is a positive color and useful in teenager's bedrooms or studies as it sharpens the memory and is good for studying. Yellow is fabulous for retail shops because of its eye catching and welcoming virtue. Too much yellow in a room may cause hostility, so ensure that you break it up with accent colours like white, black or red.

Green is associated with wealth. It is a cool colour and is known to calm actors before they go on the stage to perform, and that’s the reason behind the name ‘green room’. It can be used in bedrooms and bathrooms due to its soothing properties. It does not reflect well on skin and hence should not be used in beauty salons or apparel stores.

Purple or violet is not used frequently. But it can do wonders if used in small amounts in your bedroom as it relieves stress. It signifies royalty and spirituality

Black signifies mystery, drama and sophistication. It can be used in combination with white or red to create a great wall. It is best used to conceal something. A matt black paint will make anything disappear.

White signifies purity. It is quite refreshing in hot weather as it reflects heat. It is also an indicator of cleanliness and hygiene. This is because dirt is easily seen on white and has to be cleaned immediately. Due to this white is used in kitchens and bathrooms. White also makes a small space look large and so it should be used if a room is too small in size.

To see various colour combinations used in home decor check www.dimensionsarchitects.in