Color me happy

I like to think that I am in control of my own mood, but external factors affect all of us, even seemingly inconsequential things, like the color of a wall. Color can be one of the major factors when people decide whether to make a purchase or if they even consider it aesthetically pleasing. We all know not to judge a book by its cover, but there are certain visuals that attract us. Color is an important tool, as a means of attracting our attentions and in creating a desired mood.

When decorating you must consider what colors go well together and which colors will be tolerable to you for the long haul. Remember, color affects the mood you are trying to create- red will raise the energy level, while blue will create a smoothing atmosphere. There is a whole field of psychology, appropriately named color psychology, dedicated to the study of how color affects us. The science of color can be seen in action in waiting rooms, museums, restaurants (red is said to increase your appetite), spas, etc. In 2000, Glasgow, Scotland installed blue public lighting and reported a decrease of crime in those areas.So before you paint your office black, like Dwight tried to do in the TV show The Office, remember that the color you surround yourself with will influence your mood. I found this website helpful for coming up with a color scheme: http://colorschemedesigner.com/. This website shows which colors are complementary which is helpful when painting an accent wall. Remember the golden ratio? Accent walls are a great way to incorporate that design technique into your house.[feather_share skin="wheel" size="24"]