Your home is your sanctuary and therefore, it is important to clearly define the way you want to feel when you arrive home. When creatively listening to yourself you will keep in mind how color will effect your mood, and even your health when decorating your home.
Color is more than an aesthetic to please your eyes. Studies have shown there is a powerful link between mental and emotional reactions in our bodies that are evoked by the stimulus of specific colors.
Color and the visual appeal of food is closely related. Elaborate preparation goes into fine dining experiences to assure that the presentation and color of your food is pleasing to the customer. The sight of food must be triggered before it is wanted to be eaten.
The sight of food fires neurons in the hypothalamus. Which brings us to the color BLUE. Did you know that, with the exception of a few foods like blueberries, the color blue, of all the colors in the spectrum, is a rare occurrence in nature. In addition, our deep-seated instincts tell us to avoid foods that are blue because they tend to be poisonous.
Can you imagine asking for more “Blue lettuce” on that sandwich? Or returning your steak because it isn’t “Blue enough?”
On your next visit to a restaurant, take note of the use of reds and warm colors in their dining area to help stimulant our appetites, entice you to linger, and ultimately to eat more.
Since so many homes have the family room attached to the kitchen area and have food continuously present and to sit in front of an entertainment center motionless for long periods of time is quite enticing. It produces an environment that encourages excess eating and inactivity and for food to be continuously present. Painting this space in cooler shades of blue will help to keep the food from being a constant companion in front of the TV. Just as effective as blue is used to curb the appetite, the use of deep colors such as red or golden yellow in an exercise room can be used to energize.
So, get started and take advantage of a natural instinct and quiet that appetite by painting the wall you are facing while dining blue. You might even start eating off a blue plate. Just think, a little imagination and some paint can go a long way in helping you lose those pounds!
Red is the strongest color in the spectrum and has the greatest emotional impact. Red can have a tendency to make surfaces advance towards you, making a room appear smaller but is also considered energetic and can stimulate people to make quick decisions. Red is a great choice to be brought into a space as an accent or focal point, possibly introduced through your art or in your fabric.
Blue evokes the opposite reaction to red. Blue, the color of the sky and ocean, makes us feel tranquil. It is a receding color and that gives a greater impression of space in a room. Therefore, blue is a good choice to add to your bedroom or if you’d like to add visual space to a small room.
Green symbolizes nature and has a tendency to calm. It is an excellent choice to integrate green into your home as it is perceived as relaxing and passive. Green, like blue, is seen as a low intensity, receding color that will also give a greater impression of space in a room.
Yellow – though cheerful and optimistic, yellow, when used alone, and unrelieved by other colors, can make you feel irritable and hostile. Therefore, it is preferable to use yellow as an accent color. If yellow is the predominant color, be sure to relieve it by introducing other colors that will calm it down or cool it off like blue or green.
The most important thing in choosing colors for your home is to remember that color is the emotional element of decorating. It is a powerful tool that determines how you feel in your environment. So, start listening to what your body is telling you about your home.
