From the Floors Up

Learning Color Psychology

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Today, we are going to explore the psychology of colors to see the different ways that you can use the same colors to change the end results. Let’s get started!

Combinations

What you pair a color with can change how much it affects the atmosphere. For instance, different color pairings can complement, contrast, or even take from the other colors in a room. For example, if you pair red in your design with orange and yellow, the room will have a warm, inviting atmosphere. However, when red is paired with a neutral palette, the color will have the most authentic psychological influence on the room. Now pair red with against blue, and it will have the hardest contrast. The ratio in which you contribute to each color will also determine how much influence it has on the space.

Hues

A hue is both the color and the tinting of the color. Exploring different hues can have different outcomes on an environment psychologically. For example, blue may be used to relax an atmosphere, and green may be used to add liveliness. Now take turquoise, the hue between green and blue, this color can borrow elements of both. You can darken or lighten the shading of a color to create different outcomes as well.

Finish & Tone

Colors can also be affected by how they are perceived in design by their tone and finish. For instance, glossy yellow is more vibrant and expressive than matte yellow. Likewise, pastels are washed out by whites, where muted colors are darkened by blacks. The same color can have a masculine or feminine feature just by softening it or creating a pastel tone.

We think that the psychology of color is fascinating how it can change a room. We hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about how colors affect our atmosphere. How will you facilitate these tricks in your own home? Let us know below in the comment section.

Understanding Colors & Their Influence on Your Design

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Colors can be very impactful in an environment. We use color to add character to a space. From warm and cool tones, every color can help change the overall feeling of your home. Trying to find the perfect blend of colors to complement each other can be tricky at first, but understanding some basic tricks can help you master the skill. Today, we look at some of the simple aspects of color and how you can use them in your design. Knowing these can better help you facilitate different colors in your home. Let’s get started!

Tones

There are three types of tones that can be used in a room. You can create a warm-tone, which makes an area feel more inviting. This tone can be accomplished by using colors like red, yellow, pink, and orange. Or, you can create a cool-tone atmosphere by using colors like blue, green, purple, and indigo. This tone will make an area feel more relaxed and laid back. Lastly, you can create a neutral-tone. This tone is done by using beige, grey, white, black, or other colors that have no direct correlation with setting a tone. Each has their time and place in your design. Try to match the right colors to the feeling you want to provoke in each room.

Textures

Texture can also be very valuable in your design. When designing a room, you will typically stick to around three to four colors in general. However, with only three to four colors, some areas tend to blend together. For instance, having a beige couch against a beige wall can seem to mix together. This bland look can be fixed through the use of texture. So make sure you have plenty of texture throughout each space. You can have some carpet, grainy surfaces, or silky pillows. These types of texture will help create a dramatic effect and allow objects to pop off one another.

Complementary

With the use of more than one color, you will want colors that complement one another. While each color by itself can create a color meaning, using colors together can also be an effect. Consider the color green being used monochromatically throughout a design space. With all this green, you can evoke feelings of life, revitalization, or even envy. The color green has several psychological influences in an environment. Now take that same room and add the color red. You probably would quickly recognize this color combination as festive or Christmas-influenced. Pay attention to how the colors in your room complement one another and how they portray a feeling.

Color is one of the most powerful tools to use in design. A better understanding of how to use color can help you master your design. Since every color has its own psychological influences, these tricks can be great tools to take your design to the next level. While design is about aesthetics and functionality, how your design makes you feel is equally important. This can all be accomplished through the power of colors.

Surprisingly Effective Color Palettes

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Colors can have a dramatic impact on our living space. Each color has the power to influence the overall mood of the atmosphere. In fact, designing a room comes down to colors. We tend to use color palettes to give rooms a more diverse feel and capture the impacts of each color. If you went into a dimly lit, dark restaurant with red accents, you might feel a romantic vibe, whereas a brightly lit, blue and white atmosphere will have a completely different feeling. Typically, colors that are near each other on the color wheel can complement each other quite nicely. You can easily create a cool-tone or warm-tone atmosphere by choosing the corresponding colors. However, colors that are opposite of each other can also work together. In fact, here are three surprisingly effective color palettes you can consider adding to your own home:

Peach and Forest Green

These colors are nowhere near each other on the color wheel. Even the shading of peach and forest green is very far from similar. However, with peach’s youthful, springy feel accompanied by a more formal green, these two colors work wonders together.

Green is excellent at adding vitality to a space and freshening it up, but when you darken this color by creating forest green, it can dampen some of those desired effects. That is why mixing peach with forest green, creates a highly desirable effect.

Blue and Rustic Orange

Blue and rustic orange are another unique color combination. Blue is known to be a very passive and tranquil color, whereas orange is used in more Rustic or Mediterranean style homes. These two colors complement each other in a unique way. The rustic orange feels creative yet serious, helping to ground the free spirit of a bright blue room.

Teal and Red

The last surprisingly effective color combination that we had to explore is teal and red. Teal is a blue-green tone that is calming yet rejuvenating, whereas red is known to be bold and aggressive. These two colors are known to balance each other out while creating a colorful yet neutral feeling environment.

When exploring the color palette, do not be afraid to get a little crazy. You never know when two colors can effortlessly complement one another.

Is the Gray Heyday Over?

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Neutral color palettes will and always have been relevant in interior design.  We had a very long run with beige and tan being dominant in almost every design theme; however, we slowly watched as flooring, cabinets, paints, and decor accessories turned to another neutral option: gray. Gray is great because it features a vast spectrum. From black to white, gray has to ability to create a hard contrast, give depth, and keep a sophisticated look in many interior design styles. However, as quickly as we saw gray emerge onto the scene, we may also be witnessing its sudden demise.   

Fifty Shades

What is your favorite color? The chances that you thought “gray” are slim to none. Gray is usually associated with gloomy weather; however, gray is still used in many homes today. This is not because gray is beautiful, but because this neutral color allows other colors to shine. Gray is the perfect neutral color to allow other colors to pop. Its spectrum is just as broad as any other color, yet with white and black on either end, it makes this color feel much more significant! From sheen finishes to matte looks, gray works great in any style home. 

Using Gray 

Gray is great at creating depth and is used in many monochromatic-themed rooms. A monochromatic theme is a design which does not veer from one color. Picture a room using all shades of green or a room with all shades of blue. These rooms would give off a very distinct feel and ambiance. The green room may feel plant influenced, creative, and lively, whereas perhaps the blue room feels passive, calm, and bold. When using grey, you do not get these deliberate themes. Instead, this monochromatic color theme feels collective, sophisticated, but unbiased. So it is excellent for reselling and making an atmosphere that appeases to the masses. 

Is The Gray Heyday Over? 

Looking at sales in different categories of flooring, paints, and cabinets, gray is not selling as dramatically as it was a couple of years ago; however, the “trend” is not dead. Beige is coming back into interior design because it offers a little more warmth as a neutral color, whereas gray feels a little bit cooler.   

So What Does This Mean?

That being said, this does not mean that gray shall become obsolete in design. We should look at both these styles of colors for what they have to offer.  If you like the properties and stylings that gray has to offer, it is still an excellent choice for design. If you feel that beige provides a better feel to your home, go with beige. Each neutral color slightly offers a different feel. Deciding which one you like more allows you to tailor your home to you.

What are your thoughts? We would love to hear your opinion below in the comment section.

Top Trending Colors for Interior Design | Part Three

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Adapting your design is crucial in today’s marketplace. Outdated colors and old fashion trends can quickly become eyesores in retail and commercial business if left unattended. By making sure that you know all the latest and greatest color choices, you can create a beautiful, well-thought-out environment that is envied by all.

In this part of the series, we are focusing on colors and tones may surprise you and be quite intriguing to use in your next projects. Let’s take a look!

Metallics Can Be Neutrals?

When you think of neutrals, you probably think about the basics, but did you know there are more colors of neutrals than just beiges and grays? Pseudo-neutrals are colors that can be so dark or so light that they do not actually influence a warm or cool tone in the room.  Metallics like golds, silvers, and bronzes also considered neutrals.  If you do not feel bold enough to add aggressive colors to your environment and have always had a neutral-based atmosphere, perhaps you can start by adding metallics. These can keep your environment grounded and still neutral but also help make a contemporary, bold statement.  Metallics are also great for opening up the space; they can easily reflect light and make your space feel more open an airy.  Do not overlook this trend because it has a wide variety of benefits and adaptability. 

The Soft Touch of Pastels

Since metallics have made a strong statement this year, it is no surprise that softer toned pastel colors have rippled back into the industry.  Pastels are brilliant for adding your favorite colors to the area without affecting a mood.  Pastels create a light and airy energy which can help brighten the area, but they are soft enough to not be overwhelming. Having the ability to add your favorite color as a pastel can allow you to keep an unbiased, neutral tone that deliberately expresses yourself.  It is a win-win for everyone!  

Neutrals use to be limited, but today, we have so many great alternative options to use. Stay up to date on all the latest trends with From the Floors up, and be sure to check out part four to learn the last couple of trending colors, which are making a strong, surprising comeback!

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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