Role of colors

Introduction:

Colors play an important role when it comes to designing spaces. Deciding a color palette is as important as any other aspect of designing. The right color can make a place into paradise and the wrong color can cripple a place into nothing. You have got to tread very lightly when it comes to choosing a color theme. 

We have been taught about colors since kindergarten. So, it only gets complicated if you make it so. If you abide by the rules of color theory and consider all the principles you have your work done for you. Color theory teaches what color to use where and what color to avoid where. You just have to be attentive and have good sense of color.

Color Wheel:

We have three primary colors ( red, yellow, blue). Three secondary colors(orange, green, violet) that are formed by mixing the primary colors. Six tertiary colors formed by mixing the secondary colors. Color Wheel gives us themes like complimentary colors, cool colors, warm colors, analog colors, and many more. So, even if you know nothing about colors just follow the color theory and you'll be playing safe. 

Color theory also involves a color’s darkness or lightness, or color values. You can change a color’s hue by adding white for tint, which will give you lighter pastel colors, and black for shade to darken and dull color. When gray is added to a primary, secondary or tertiary color, it creates a tone. If a color is toned down, its brightness and intensity is lessened.

Warm colors make the space look smaller and is advisable in places with lower temperatures. Cool spaces add volume to the space making it look bigger and advisable for places with hot and humid climatic conditions. Light colors where natural lighting isn't too much and one could probably go for darker colors if plenty of sunlight is available.

Color Psychology:

Color are subconsciously or consciously responsible for our stimuli. Every color is associated with emotions. That's why you see different color palette for different structures. 
 Colors and Emotions:

• White -  purity, innocence, cleanliness, sense of space, neutrality, mourning.
• Black - authority, power, evil, strength, royal, death.
• Gray - neutral, timeless, practical.
• Red - love, romance, warmth, comfort, energy, excitement, life, blood, danger.
• Orange - happy, energy, excitement, enthusiasm, warmth, wealth, change, stimulation.
• Yellow - happiness, laughter, cheery, optimism, hunger, intensity, frustration, anger, attention.
• Green - natural, cool, growth, money, health, envy, tranquility, harmony, fertility, calmness.
• Blue - calmness, serenity, cold, uncaring, wisdom, loyalty, truth, focused.
• Purple - royalty, wealth, sophistication, wisdom, exotic, spiritual, prosperity, respect, mystery.
• Brown - reliability, stability, friendship, sadness, earth, security, natural, organic.

Color Therapy:

Different colors produce different health benefits. A sampling of the health benefits claimed by color therapy include: 

• Red: stimulating and increases appetite.  

• Orange: improves mood and possible thyroid function. 

• Yellow: increases concentration and possibly treats arthritis.

• Green: a calming color and may promote healthy metabolism.  

• Blue: suppresses the appetite and treats migraine pain. 

• Indigo: purportedly promotes mental health. 

Violet: helps with meditation and potentially endocrine issues.

Choosing colors:

We choose colors when it comes to our clothes, our cars, our furniture, our walls, our  buildings and every choice matters because as you can't wear colors that don't suit on you, you can't live in houses with colors that don't suit you. We choose colors for spaces by considering a lot of factors like 1) Purpose of the space. 2) Lighting available in the space. 3) Personality of the user of the space. 4) Ambience needed for the space. 5) Climatic conditions in the space. 6) Size of the space.

You can't put bright orange walls in a hospital but you can use them in an art school. You can use grey walls in an office but not in a nursery school. You can't put a goth girl in a rainbow colored room similarly you can't put a 2 year old in a dark black room. You can't paint a bakery like you would paint a mortuary. You can't paint a cafe like you would paint a garage unless the cafe's theme is garage.  You can't use cool colors for a space situated in snow caps and you can't use warm colors for a place situated in a desert. If a space is small and you use bright colors then it will feel like the space is closing in on you but lighter tints will make the space look bigger than it is. That's why white colored spaces look spacious then they are. 

So choosing colors for a space is very important and unless you are very sure that you are good with colors, leave it to professionals. As we read above, every color has emotion attached to it. Warm colors makes us feel cozy and homely whereas cool colors radiate freshness and calmness. Bright colors give out energetic vibes and fade colors give out subtle vibes.  

You must have noticed how cafe's mostly have pastel colors for aesthetic purposes. Homes have not too bright warm shades for comfort. Offices have either neutral or cool tints for fresher aspect. So, knowingly or unknowingly people already follow the color theory not because they know the theory but because of how those colors make them feel. They chose what they have been seeing around and what feels right. 

It is a little weird that colors could affect our psychology but it is true that when you are in a space with darker colors for longer time, you will find yourself sad or exhausted. When you're at place with bright colors, you will feel fresh and energetic. Colors play tricks on you and you should know it before you make a decision, you can choose what kind of vibe/emotion do you want this space to radiate an hence choose the right color. 

Personal Note:

Go through color theory, it's very basic and probably will answer your doubts. Be attentive, when you visit places, look at the colors and see what kind of energy it gives. You can choose colors by experimenting a little if you are confused. last but not least you could always consult a professional you trust with these decisions to choose it for you. 

By Isha Mutha

thearchdiaries.blogspot.com