Tips for choosing room accent colors

Tips for choosing room accent colors
by: Marissa Anteby

Did you ever walk in to a room and feel comforted and at ease by some invisible soothing vibe? Or conversely, have you ever suddenly stressed out and been put off, just by seeing a space? Well, color has a lot to do with such reactions. Color can be mood-altering, both positive and negative. We all know this intuitively, even if we may not verbalize it, and science supports our natural instincts.

Color has a subtle and yet dramatic effect on its atmosphere. Colored surfaces absorb and/or reflect light frequencies. So, depending on the colors you are working with, a room can get filled with slower or faster frequencies, thereby creating different emotions, feelings, and even thoughts.

In general, the brighter the color, the more alert and active it will make you feel; like an adrenaline rush. Good examples of this are; bright reds, oranges, and yellows. Broadly speaking, the more muted the color is, the more likely it is to soothe you in to a state of calm. These pale shades include; light blues, light greens, and creams.

When assessing a room, remember color not only applies to wall coverings. You should also take in to consideration, the color of the ceiling, floor, furniture, molding, woodwork, artwork, pictures, frames, plants, flowers, etc. Everything in a room has the possibility of contributing to the overall tone it evokes.

Below, is a list I have compiled of colors and corresponding qualities they elicit.

- Rusty red / pink: goal orientated, playful, and romantic.

- Yellow: powerful, justified, and bold.

- Bright green: enthusiastic, self-assured, and ambitious.

- Dark green / blue: creative, imaginative, and sensitive.

- Purple: expressive, passionate, and social.

- Black / brown / medium beige: practical, settled, and intimate.

- Cream / deep ivory: objective, independent, and spiritual.

- Silver / grey / light off white: in control, dignified, and organized.

- Stark white: motivated, quick-witted, and competitive.

You can use this list as an aid in figuring out which qualities you nourish in yourself by continually surrounding yourself with particular colors. To enhance your spectrum of personal qualities, you can opt to add more colors to your environment, that correspond with traits you would like to develop in yourself. As a starting point, I suggest choosing one color that you have a strong affinity to, and playing with adding different shades of your one color. This will help to keep your space cohesive, and your mind clear.

Marissa Anteby
marissa@embodyinc.com
www.embodyinc.com