Colors are alive! (In my art teacher voice). Not really, but color does emit a feeling. It’s like thinking back to that delicious strawberry cake grandma used to make and how it made you feel. Okay, so none of my grandmothers made strawberry cake. I only had one grandma who baked, and she made a delicious yellow cake with chocolate frosting. So when I think of that grandmother, I see lots of the color yellow. I say this to prove how colors have meaning.
Colors Have Meaning
Would you feel comfortable being examined by a doctor wearing all black? Maybe, depending on what their practice was for…hey, they could be a trendy plastic surgeon. What if they were a pediatrician? Better yet, an obstetrician? That might make you feel uncomfortable. That’s because we associate colors with ideas, emotions, and images. Understanding the meaning of colors will help you learn how to choose the right colors in your room design. In addition to this post be sure to read Learn How to Mix and Match Colors to learn about color combinations and Two Ways to Pick the Right Colors as another option for selecting your design colors.
If you are designing any room or party, the first question you probably ask is, “What color should this room be?” That question sounds exhausting already, and I am not even looking at the room with you. It’s exhausting because there are endless options for choosing the right colors when it comes to decorating. I want to help you make confident decisions, and the easiest way to select the primary color in your room design is to first think about the feeling that you want your room to convey. Color can say a lot without actually speaking. Here are some examples of the meanings associated with color. I want you to imagine the room you are designing as you go through these meanings.
Red
Love, Power, Anger, Passion, Horror
Purple
Royalty, Wealth, Nobility, Religious
Blue
Sea, Health, Information, Honesty, Tranquility
Green
Nature, Money, Organic, Fresh
Yellow
Energy, Sun, Joy, Fun, Lighthearted
Orange
Tropical, Happiness, Warmth, Memories, Fall
Black
Professional, Brooding, Strength, Sophisticated
White
Clean, Expert, Peaceful, Quiet, Simple
This list is just an example and is by no means universal to everyone or everything. Different cultures have different meanings for colors. The examples I provided are very much American, so don’t make this the final list in your color meaning.
I was working on a graphic design for a Korean birthday party, and the mother asked me not to use white text because it represented death. Yikes! That would be like painting my toddler son’s room black. I appreciated her pointing that out because I learned something new about another culture and their meaning of color. We should always keep in mind what colors mean to us culturally as well as to others for that matter.
Now that you have run through some of the primary colors think about your own design needs. If you want a tranquil space, then perhaps you should be using more blue instead of orange. Do you want your room to look clean and sophisticated? Then maybe you use black and white as the primary colors in your design. I will let you in on a secret. I based my logo colors off of my favorite eyeshadow pallet. The pallet has a tropical bird design, and it makes me feel happy, festive, and inspired. The same way I want you to feel when you come to my blog!
Canva has a great color meaning breakdown for every color imaginable if you were questioning whether that lime green works well in the kitchen!
Do you know someone who is feeling overwhelmed with trying to decorate? Please share this post with them! What are your design challenges? Share in the comments!
