Many people don’t realize how color impacts their mood and emotions.
Color is everywhere; from the walls of every room to the sky, the earth, nature, and every piece of clothing. It’s impossible to avoid color unless you’re color-blind. The impact of color on our minds is undeniable – scientists now agree that color changes moods, emotions and even general mental wellbeing. They also think that individuals “feel” colors rather than perceiving them. Even ancient Egyptians and Chinese used colors to heal.
Some examples of the impact color can have on your emotions:
RED
This color tends to inspire extremes of emotion. Red is one of the most attention-grabbing colors. It is commonly linked to emotions such as excitement, passion, and drama. Lighter reds are more playful, and darker reds feel regal.
ORANGE
Some people associate it with retro themes of past decades, but it is being revived. Rust-colored shades go well with other autumn colors. Orange is slowly becoming linked with a relaxed, Hispanic, multicultural feeling, thanks to some designers’ use of the color.
YELLOW
A bright, happy color that brings a smile to most people’s faces, this can relax your mood and make you more happy, optimistic and energetic. Deep gold shades of yellow are rich and elegant. Yellow could be incorporated into more businesses’ design schemes!
GREEN
Bright lime shades can be energetic and playful colors with a funky, young-feeling air. Light green, however, is a calming color that might relax a stressed person.
BLUE
The emotions that blue is linked with vary depending on the shade, perhaps more so than any other color. Light, powder blue is associated with kids, while navy reminds us of authority or strictness. A green-blue is one of the universally appealing colors that rarely arouse a feeling of dislike.
PURPLE
Once a color only royals could wear, purple still carries some sense of mysticism and spiritual “otherness”. Some shades of purple even feel quirky and playful. It is said to comfort and relieve stress.
BROWN
People tend to see brown as the color of coffee, rich and robust. It used to be a more earthy color, and in combination with light green, it still is, but now it has evolved to have a different impact on people in touch with society.
WHITE
Many people think of white as a neutral color, but that’s wrong. An off-white is a calming, neutral color, but pure white is actually an attention-grabbing color like red or yellow. Decorators know this and use it to their advantage, leaving walls pure white to attract attention, or, more commonly, choosing a shade of eggshell or cream to paint walls instead. Many people associate the color with professionalism, starkness, or X
BLACK
This is a stark, powerful, clean color. It makes people feel professional and elegant. Older associations that some people still hold include black being a somber color, but this is fast changing to a more sophisticated view.
Careful use of colors in your wardrobe, room decorations, and/or office environment can have a significant impact on your day. Try experimenting with color tomorrow morning when you get dressed – wear the color that matches your mood best and see what happens!
