Interior Designer Resources Directory :: Interior Design Article

COLOR MAKEOVERS: CREATING BETTER ENVIRONMENTS

Would you like to find a way to get your employees to be more productive?

Would you like to save energy and dollars on your heating or air conditioning bills?

Would you like to reduce your stress level?

Would you to like to reduce your fatigue?

Would you like to sell more products?

There are some simple ways to do these things. Just utilize the POWER OF COLOR! The proper use of color can give designers great power in creating better environments. Color can help solve space problems, create an atmosphere or theme, influence temperature and can affect people's emotions. Color wavelengths can affect us physically: our heart and respiration rate, the autonomic nervous system and the secretion of hormones.

There are several rules of color usage that can simplify any project. First, you need to do a survey analysis of the area to be designed. You need to analyze the room size and location based on light, temperature and traffic flow. Small room size can be expanded visually with the use of cool colors, such as blue, violet or blue green. If a room receives hot sun, testing shows that warm colors of red, yellow or orange can make a room seem 4-7 degrees hotter. Warmer colors do advance and create movement so they could make a room seem smaller, or more intimate, or invite you to move into an area.

If you're designing a small home or office you can unify and perceptively enlarge the areas by using colors of the same intensity and value from one area to the next.

Room use can be enhanced by the proper selection of colors. Warm colors direct our attention outward and create active emotions so they work best in areas that require alertness, movement, manual and muscular tasks. Cool colors direct our attention inward and are best for areas that require visual or mental tasks or where you need a calm and quiet atmosphere.

Using a monochromatic or analogous scheme can unify or enlarge an area, but can be very monotonous and dull or physically create afterimage. Using colors that are opposite on a color wheel can create contrasting harmony and interest; red with green, blue and orange or yellow and purple. Whenever complements are used balance is created and you avoid afterimage. Our eyes automatically produce the complementary color if it's missing in a room, causing us to "see spots" of the opposite color when you look at white or gray. This is why surgeons wear green scrubs when looking at flesh and blood - to avoid the afterimage of green spots.

Darker colors and patterns are best in high maintenance or traffic areas.

Color psychology is a key factor to be considered before selecting an interior color scheme for a home, office or retail establishment. For an interior concept to be successful the execution of the appropriate atmosphere, image or emotional response is critical. Color definitely effects emotions.

Identification of the end user in a space will assist in determining the best color selections. Everyone has personal color preferences that are influenced by our cultural heritage, socio-economic background, religion and age. For example, the American color for brides is white while most Asian brides dress in red. Therefore, the color symbolism of different cultures can greatly influence acceptance of colors. People of lower socio-economic backgrounds usually prefer bright, intense colors such as red and would be uncomfortable with complex colors such as burgundy. Some religions reserve certain colors for ceremonies to depict church rituals. The use of these colors inappropriately could illicit different responses than intended. Age can greatly affect color choices since the lens of the eye may begin to yellow after 40 years of age. The elderly have difficulty distinguishing blue-green colors and yellow is more intense. Older clients also need more contrast and brighter lighting.

The color red promotes passionate responses, hate or love, excitement, aggressiveness and danger. Exposure to the color red causes our pituitary gland to secrete a chemical that puts our body in a state of arousal. Emotionally a red color scheme wouldn't be appropriate in any room that needs a quiet, calm atmosphere. Blue is the best color to produce a relaxing, serene, peaceful response; however for some people it represents sadness and feels cold, for these people blue would need to be combined with a warmer color.

Yellow is the color many people think is cheerful or sunny, however testing indicates that exposure to an all yellow room actually makes us more irritable and makes children cry more.

Psychologically, orange seems active and bold and is often preferred by extroverted people. Green can represent growth, freshness and wealth, but can also remind some people of mold or inexperience. Green is a very balanced color and is excellent in areas that require visual tasks since it's the only color focused directly on the retina.

Since violet is a color often reserved for royalty it can be spiritual and elegant yet can seem unattainable for some. Violet is good to use in places where creativity is the desired atmosphere.

Black can be emotionally depressing or sophisticated. White can seem clean or coldly sterile. Pink can help sell feminine items or bakery goods. Brown is an earthy responsible color yet can be perceived as dull or boring.

Generally, extroverts prefer warm colors and introverts prefer cool colors.

The selection of colors or a color scheme combination is a powerful design element that can influence emotions, image and atmosphere.

Most people do not consider how their color choices could physically affect them in an interior setting. Color is not only visible light but it provides radiant energy in electromagnetic wavelengths. There have been experiments in which blind people could identify colors by the feel of the energy vibrations.

Color is the sensation experienced as our eyes and brain receive and interpret light wavelengths. Research shows that color and light affect brain waves, functions of the autonomic nervous system and hormonal processes. Studies show that intense color with too much visual pattern and high brightness cause stress, headaches, eyestrain, back and neck problems. Research also shows too little color variety may result in sensory derivation that can cause loss of concentration and an inability to perceive normally.

The physiological response to color is the measurable physical effects that color has on us. Testing shows that the color red makes your heart beat faster and increases the respiratory rate and blood pressure. In red light people behave more aggressively, their appetites increase and the sense of smell is heightened.

Blue light is medically accepted as a cure for jaundice in babies. Scientific studies also show that blue lowers blood pressure, slows the respiration rate and heart beat.

Full spectrum light, which contains all color energy wavelengths, is used in hospitals to treat chronic depression for seasonal affect disorder (SAD) as well as jet lag. Testing with full spectrum lighting on school children showed they experienced clearer vision and were less subject to fatigue.

A study of over 300 companies by the National Industrial Conference Board indicated that color could affect productivity. The companies reported that color improved lighting, 27.9% had production increases, 30.9% noted an improvement in quality, 19.1% showed reduced eye strain and fatigue, and 14.7% said color reduced absenteeism and produced better morale.

The Kirlian camera photography indicates that human bodies have an electromagnetic energy field that changes in size, shape, color and flare patterns whenever disease or disorder is present. Tension or anxiety shows up as red while a healthy body will appear blue-white. These studies reinforce the powerful effect colors have on our environment and us.

Understanding the physical effects color has on us is critical in the selection of appropriate color schemes for homes, offices and healthcare areas. The study of color should be a lifelong pursuit as research continues to discover new effects of color's influence on the body and environment. Always be keenly aware of the power of color.

Sherry Payne, ASID,CID is the Principal of Sherry Payne Interiors which specializes in color consultation, space planning and kitchen and bath remodeling. Her company is currently located at 1000 E. Walnut St. Ste.110, Pasadena, CA 91106. The company will be opening in December at 2314 F.E. Landry Rd., Jennings, LA 70546. Mrs. Payne began her career with Castleman Interiors where she did medical design, and became the manager of the commercial division. Her interest in color began while doing hospital design since the environment is extremely important for both patients and caregivers. She did extensive research and took additional classes to further her knowledge in the physical and psychological effects of color. Mrs. Payne has also taught college level interior design courses at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and at Santa Monica College. She has written and taught numerous classes such as; Color and Materials, History of Architectural Interiors, Remodeling, Business Management and Commercial Thesis. Throughout her career she has had color articles published in newspapers and magazines. Some of her design projects have appeared in magazines and books. She has done both student and consumer seminars on many of the aspects of color. She participated in the Kitty Bartholomew show on an episode called “Crazy for Color, and did the Christopher Lowell Show, “Design Trek, the Next Generation”. Mrs. Payne is always eager to write or speak on the subject of color and hopes that you, too, succeed in harnessing the “Power of Color”. Current Contact information: (626) 568-0194 December: (337) 370-6940 Email: payne1375@earthlink.net