According to therapists, colours tend to have a psychological and physical impact on us. For example, certain colours can raise blood pressure, increase metabolism or even cause eye strain, while other colours have a healing effect and can balance energy levels.
Red
Red symbolises love, passion and courage. It is a colour that exudes warmth and draws attention. It has a great emotional impact, making it ideal for the living room.
Orange
Nehal Motta, a resident of Mumbai, recently painted the accent wall of her living room in orange, as she felt that it was a cheerful colour. “Orange is the colour of knowledge, loyalty and generosity. It reflects a healthy social environment and revitalises the mind and body,” she justifies.
Yellow
The rest of the walls, in Motta’s living room are painted in yellow. “My living room lacks a strong source of natural light. So, we have used yellow, to give the room a bright look,” she adds. Yellow is one of the most widely-used colours in the world and is ideal for small-sized homes in cities. It exudes warmth, inspiration and joy. Besides sunlight and spirituality, yellow is also associated with wealth, as it is the colour of gold.
See also: How to choose the right colours for your home, based on Vastu
Green
“Green represents freshness and abundance. Its soothing quality characterises the power of nature,” says Motta, whose bedroom has a bottle green accent wall. The colour is proven to have a therapeutic effect and is suitable for rooms that focus on wellbeing and rest.
Blue
According to interior designer Sheena Chhabria, blue represents tranquillity, comfort and serenity. “It is the colour of the sky and sea and has a cooling and soothing effect in rooms. It is ideal for bathrooms, because it is associated with water. When used in bedrooms, it induces sleep by calming the mind,” she explains. A shade of Mediterranean blue, helps to blur the room’s boundaries thereby, making it look bigger than its actual size.
Purple
Purple represents sensuality, passion, royalty, luxury and depth of feeling.
Pink
Pink is an emotional colour and connotes sensitivity and a caring nature. Hence, it is ideal for bedrooms, as it gives a peaceful touch and makes it look lively.
Black and white
“White is associated with purity and elegance, while black is associated with negativity and power. If you are not happy with a plain white wall, then, you can opt for different shades of white. You can choose a white shade with a pink tone, blue tone or green tone. This makes the room appear bigger and vibrant. Black can be used to add contrast, to a room that has light-coloured walls,” says Chhabria.
While painting a room, do not use more than three colours for any space, including neutrals. All that is required is a little planning, to find a colour that best suits your room. After all, you want the right mood in a room, as it impacts not just your own feelings, but also that of everyone who enters it.
Tips on painting a large room
- Bright colours add a positive vibe and make the surrounding more energetic. Younger children, in particular, tend to favour bright colours like yellow, orange and red.
- Warm colours can make a large room seem cosier, while small bedrooms can be made to appear larger, with cooler shades.
- Metallic finishes, such as gold, bronze, glitter or pearl red, silver and blue, add a bold look. Non-metallic finishes, which are minimalistic, along with geometric or trendy patterns, exude elegance and give a subtle, artistic feel to a space.
- Living rooms painted in a triadic scheme (for example, using three distinctly different colours like blue, yellow and red), tend to be very vibrant and energetic and depict youthfulness and freshness.
Painting a small room? Remember this
- Yellow, pink and lavender, are ideal for small-sized bedrooms.
- Light yellows, with green and peach or pink accents, and blue and sea green shades, are light yet, bright colours. These colours are a great way to beat the summer heat, while maintaining a cosy feel.
- You can also paint one wall in a small bedroom with a darker shade, to differentiate it from the other walls in the room. The darker wall will seem to recede, creating an illusion of space.
- You can also paint the walls using stripes of alternating but similar colours. These stripes can be vertical or horizontal and three to five inches wide.