Room Color and Your Mood: How Does Paint Color Affect Mood

When you’re deciding on interior paint colors for your home, you may simply be looking for hues that speak to your personal style. While the colors on your walls should be reflective of your personality, it’s important to know that the colors you ultimately decide on can also affect your mood and thoughts.

Psychological Effects of Room Color

Reactions to certain colors and groups of colors generally produce similar reactions in people. Scientific research has shown that colors can either boost our mood, make us feel calm, or even trigger aggressive or depressed responses. But, what causes these reactions?

According to Psychology Today, the emotional responses we have to colors has everything to do with a color’s saturation (how pure a color is) and brightness (how light a color seems) levels. When paint color achieves the perfect balance of saturation and brightness, it can generate the types of reactions you desire when spending time in different rooms of your home. Here are some examples:

If you paint your walls in a less saturated, bright green color it can make you feel more relaxed and calmer.
If you paint your walls in a very saturated, less bright blue color it can make you feel energized.

Paint Colors That Boost Your Mood

It’s important to choose colors wisely when painting the interior of your house as the shades you decide on will affect you, your family, and anyone else who spends time inside your home. The following colors tend to generate more positive responses when painted on your walls.

Cool Paint Colors

Blue: When you paint a room blue, it can be a winner with most everyone. It’s soothing, inviting and works incredibly well in bedrooms due to its calming effect. Look for blues that are either dark (like navy) or muted (like a gray-blue) to create a peaceful atmosphere.
Green: Green is also a great choice for producing positive emotions. A sage green can be tranquil and relaxing, while a darker, more saturated green can invigorate the senses. Try using a saturated, less bright green in your home office or crafting studio, or a less saturated, muted green in your bedroom.

Warm Paint Colors

Yellow: Yellow is a joyful color that can generate positive, optimistic emotions. A muted yellow can be perfect for kitchen walls when you want to bring some subtle energy to the space. Yellow can also stimulate you and your guests’ appetites.
Orange/Red: As humans, we are naturally drawn to warm colors. Orange-red hues on your walls can lend coziness to a room and make anyone who enters feel comfortable. Try a burnt orange in your dining room to create a friendly, inviting atmosphere for gathering around the dinner table.

Neutral Paint Colors

White: White can be a beautiful, refreshing neutral as long as the paint color isn’t too stark. Stark white paint can make people feel uneasy and anxious. If your style is more contemporary, a warm shade of white in your kitchen can create a modern, clean and cozy feeling.
Black: Yes, you can paint your walls black and not feel depressed as long as you don’t paint the whole room black. Black hues are actually considered the new neutral paint colors because they go with practically everything. Consider painting black on an accent wall to add modern sophistication and relaxation to your bedroom.
Brown: If you want to feel content, secure, and one with nature, brown walls can be ideal in a bedroom or other main living areas.
Gray: Classic gray walls offer elegance and can liven up your space when they have warm undertones. Consider painting your living room walls in a shade of greige (mixture of gray and beige) to give off a warm, inviting feeling.

Professional Interior Painting Services Can Positively Impact Your Mood

While choosing the right paint colors for your home interior can inspire positive emotions, color is just one part of the painting process. Entrusting your painting project to professionals will ensure that the best shades and sheens are chosen and your paint color lasts. Are you ready to boost your mood with new interior paint? Contact us today for a free interior painting quote!