calming colors
Calming Colors
What is the effect of colors on our mind? Why should we choose calming colors over the vibrant ones? Find out the answers to these questions in this article.
We need some place where we can unwind, get away from all the stress that is constantly hounding our lives, and allow ourselves some peace of mind. Stress is now an inevitable part of our lives, whether we are old or young. It is thus ideal to have colors that have a calming effect on us in the environment we spend most of our time in. For kids, schools would provide calming colors in classrooms, whereas for us working lot, our employers should provide them in the office. The presence of such soothing hues has an almost therapeutic effect on the mind and helps deal with stress in a better manner. To understand the kind of hues we should incorporate in our surroundings and to benefit from the aforementioned effect, presented here is a guide on a variety of calming colors for you to choose from.
Colors that Calm
According to the basics of color psychology, all the colors that qualify as cool would have a calming effect on us. Sometimes, for a relaxing and comforting effect, some warm colors would also fall under this category. To understand this better, the effect of every color that can be used in the realm of interior painting has been explained below.
- Blue: Blue has always been a color of calmness and serenity. It has been always identified with the soothing effect of the sea and the sky. This color has a healing effect on the mind and body, and has the ability to induce sleep. This is the reason it is used in abundance in rehabilitation centers and hospitals. It has also been found to lower blood pressure levels. However, you need to keep in mind when you choose blue for your room or office that this depends on the shade of blue you choose. For instance, a light blue is likely to calm the senses, but a darker blue might seem overwhelming. Also, too much blue in a particular room is going to give a cold feeling, not one that is relaxing and comforting. To use blue in the bedroom, combine it with a darker shade to achieve a balancing effect. Break the monotony by adding a dash of yellow or white in the form of accessories or upholstery. Blue is also suitable as one of the office paint colors when used in the aforementioned manner, but with a substantial amount of other colors as well.
- Violet: Violet, created by blending red and blue, contains traits of both impulsiveness and surrender. This color has always been associated with magical and mystical elements, and has been found to represent desire and intimacy. Thus, it makes an ideal color for a bedroom. With its ability to blur thoughts, it would perhaps not be perfect for an office though. On the other hand, when combined with a darker purple, and even tinges of blue and green, violet would make a great base for living room color schemes.
- Green: Green not only symbolizes the abundance of nature, but also financial growth. This color is known to please the senses and is included in the environment of those undergoing healing of the mind and/or the body. Moreover, a rich green has the ability to energize the body in a manner that is not stressful. Thus, green paint provides the adequate amount of comfort and energy, and is a balanced color within itself to be used for a bedroom, living room, office, or classroom.
- Yellow: Though a warm color, the right hue of yellow has the ability to relax the senses and evoke a joyful and optimistic state of mind. Yellow has always been associated with cheerfulness, happiness, and laughter. It also has the ability to enhance creativity. Thus, when used in an office setup, tones of yellow bordering towards a dull gold are perfect to bring out the best in employees. Even in a classroom, this color is perfect to bring kids in their element. The reason it has been included in this list is because it has the ability to evoke these feelings without overpowering a person. As such, it does not induce stress, rather reduces it, and helps with rational thinking and a creative thought process.
- Peach: While orange itself is a vibrant shade, lighter tones of it have a similar effect on the mind as yellow. Of course, a bright orange is going to aggravate stress, but milder tones of it are a better choice for relaxing colors and work well for any kind of environment.
- White: The most neutral color of all, white has the ability to reflect everything around it beautifully. It is definitely the most calming color, as it gives a sense of space, that we feel lacking when we are overpowered by negative emotions. When used in the right amount as a base color, along with any of the above-mentioned colors, white actually works to enhance the effects of all these colors. Of course, when used in larger amounts, it tends to generate a cold feeling and creates a sense of discomfort.