The colour of a room has an effect on the way you feel. The hue of the walls can evoke feelings of warmth, comfort, joy, drama, cheer or coziness. Colour can energize or calm you. Some shades elicit feelings of aggression or depression! Though there are shared patterns, how we react to these visual stimuli is unique to each of us, accounting for personal preference. You can create the atmosphere you desire by using colour consciously in each room of your home. 

• Red is associated with passion and energy. It increases blood pressure, respiration and heart rate. It stimulates the appetite, pumps adrenaline and promotes conversation. Used with wood tones, it can warm a room. Combine it with light gray or magenta for a cozy soft feel. A scarlet wall with espresso trim makes a room feel dramatic and elegant. Red is a vibrant design choice for the front door and makes a striking impression when used for trim. 
• Yellow makes people feel cheerful, energetic, optimistic and happy! It activates memory, stimulates the nervous system, promotes communication and sparks creativity. Be careful not to overuse it as it can cause fatigue and anxiety. Soft buttery yellow is more calming than brighter versions. Muted yellow is a soothing peaceful neutral, while sun-kissed yellow adds warmth to a room. Pale yellow makes a small room feel larger. Try strongly saturated yellows in hallways and windowless rooms to create the illusion of light. Pale ocher and muted gold are timeless. Golden yellow with a touch of moss brown creates a rustic Old World charm. Opt for golden honey yellow in the kitchen, especially if you have lots of wood. Straw-yellow imitates candlelight making it perfect for a dining room. 
• Blue is relaxing, soothing and calming; reducing blood pressure, slowing respiration and decreasing heart rate. It improves focus and productivity making it perfect for an office or homework area. Beware of dark blues as they invoke sadness and some pastel blues feel chilly when there’s no natural light. Try blues with warm muted tones in your bedroom and bathroom. Consider periwinkle, cerulean or turquoise for the family room, living room or kitchen. Sapphire adds a bold punch of energy to a room while sky blue feels tranquil. Navy blue brings drama while pale blues make a small room feel larger and mimic the sky when used on a ceiling. Blue is great for highlighting architectural details.
• Green is a restful colour and has a calming effect, helping people relax and unwind. It promotes comfort and togetherness and is suited for any room of your home. Try celery green in the kitchen for a light and airy feel. Give your bathroom a spa feel by mixing blue-green with gray and white. Spruce green or evergreen will add a hushed mood to a den or library. Pale shades of green create a contemporary look that feels fresh and clean. Mix green with wood tones for an organic, natural feel. Gray-green, moss and olive green are great for the exterior of a home. Citrus green will brighten a gloomy room and hunter green makes a front door welcoming. Try green in the entry to create a natural link to the outdoors. 
• Orange provides a jolt of energy and makes you feel happy! It has the excitement of red and the welcoming warmth of yellow. Apricot and terra cotta mixed with brown and gray make a room relaxing. Deep orange feels bold in daylight and cozy at night. Peach-toned orange makes your skin glow. Try orange in the kitchen or dining room as it stimulates your appetite and adds warmth. Tangerine and hot pink will energize a dark room. For the energy and excitement of a party, mix bright orange, pink and yellow citrus. Pumpkin tones highlight architectural features while deep orange is great for the front door. 
• Purple is the colour of royalty and creativity. It’s a combination of blue (calming) and red (exciting) and adds flair, richness and drama to any room in your home. Try deep purple in the entry for a stunning first impression. Add softness to a formal room with lavender and a crisp white trim. Pastel purple feels hip and young. Eggplant purple and high gloss white trim create sophistication. Pair lavender with aqua or chartreuse for a happy space. Warm purples make a dining room feel cozy. Purple with soft blue evokes tranquillity. Highlight exterior details with a mid-tone purple. Try purple shutters, doors and window boxes. Just be aware that deep purple absorbs light and fades, requiring repainting more frequently than other colours.  
• Gray is calm, serene and sophisticated and makes other colours sing. Solid gray feels strong while soft gray has a delicate feel. Use it as a neutral background colour or mix a few shades of gray to create glamour. Gray will make your wood accents shine! Driftwood gray adds a beach feel to a room while deep charcoal makes a quiet background for more vibrant colours. Gray and white provide a clean crisp look for kitchens and bathrooms. Try gray for highlighting the architecture on the exterior of your house. Opt for red walls with a charcoal-gray ceiling for a glamorous dining room. Consider cloud gray, ecru, and fawn for a soft and inviting feel. Combine slate-gray walls with touches of chartreuse for a stylish feel.
• Brown makes us feel cozy, welcome, secure, grounded and content. It’s associated with resilience, dependability, security, and safety. This hue is analogous with nature and, when paired with green, lends a rustic feel. Deep muted tones create a sophisticated atmosphere. Warm earthy shades work well for areas where you gather with friends, perfect for a living or dining room. Be careful not to overuse brown as it can leave a space feeling vast, stark and empty, giving rise to feelings of sadness, loneliness and isolation.
• Black elicits a wide variety of reactions! For some, it evokes attractiveness, elegance and sophistication and is associated with power and prestige. For others, it evokes mystery and calm. For some, this shade is tied to death, evil and all things bad, eliciting feelings of anger, aggression, fear and sadness. Black can be used on your walls, just don’t paint the whole room! Use it on an accent wall to add modern sophistication and relaxation. Consider a black door, floor or try black and white in your laundry room or kitchen. Combine it with purple to evoke a sense of mystery and imagination. Or try deep shades to create a cozy, intimate feeling. 

Choosing colours for your home can seem overwhelming. Many paint companies offer online tools and paint collections to help you create a cohesive colour palette. Look at magazines, decorating books, blogs and websites for ideas and tips. Remember that each colour affects your mood and influences how you feel. Match the shade of each room to your personal desires, your taste and the room’s purpose. Choose wisely. Don’t be afraid to be creative. Experiment with colours and all the ways that they affect how you feel. 

Thinking of painting your home’s interior or exterior? Need help choosing that perfect shade? Call the Calgary residential painting experts, Cal Res Coatings at (403) 917-0579. We’re a residential painting contractor that strives for quality, has an eye for detail and colour and will not rest until your job is done to your satisfaction. Request a free quote today.