By Guest Blogger Jeremy Fordham.
“The Drab Age is over. Color is coming into its own again. Until very recently people were literally scared out of their wits by color. Perhaps this was a hangover from our Puritan ancestors. But whatever the reason, brown, grays and neutrals were the only shades considered ‘safe.’ Now we know that lovely, clear colors have a vital effect on our mental happiness. Modern doctors and psychiatrists are convinced of this!”
The words of famous interior designer, Dorothy Draper, crystallize the idea that colors affect us, changing and influencing our moods as we encounter them in daily life. Yet, why does yellow seem cheerful and green seem restful? Why does a tango dancer hold a vibrant, red rose in his or her teeth and not a white one? Why do some colors clash while others work together in harmony?
The fine arts form an academic field full of depth and exploration into the psychology of color theory. Many Ph.D. programs in this realm have produced artistic leaders in the design field, all of whom will tell you that color harmony is rooted in a psychological interpretation of color –and that colors have warm and cool temperatures, mainly based on what we associate with them.
For instance, yellow, red and orange are considered to be warm colors because they remind us of the warmth of sunlight or the coals of a campfire.
At the other end of the spectrum, blue, green and violet are considered cool because they remind us of the depths of the ocean, the green of trees and wildflowers in spring. These objects have been present in the environment since man arrived on the planet, and the response to color is an ancient part of us.
Color also evokes mood, possibly because of the way we physically react to light. Red is thought to create a sensual, passionate mood. When exposed to red light, heart rate and blood pressure increase, causing physical excitement and sometimes rage. An office painted red tends to increase tension in the workplace, but also productivity. Conversely, blue light reduces heart rate, blood pressure and respiration, creating a sense of calm, relaxation and rest. Thus, blue is commonly used in doctor’s office waiting rooms for this very reason. It also stands to reason that a combination of red (danger) and blue (calm) would not result in a harmonious experience for a nervous patient.
Cultural connotations also come into play when considering the psychology of color, sometimes outright and sometimes on a subliminal level. In China, red symbolizes good luck. Elsewhere, black means evil and red means danger. Similarly, in Egypt, yellow means prosperity, while it is often the symbolic color of cowardice in the Western world. Blue is sacred in Islam and Christianity, but for different reasons. When asked why a particular color has a particular meaning, people from different cultures often have no answer other than “it’s always been that way”.
The intensity of color also has an emotional effect. For instance, lavender and deep purple are two different shades of violet. Painting a room in pastel lavender gives a light, airy effect, while walls of deep purple are intense and dramatic. Pink and rose are both shades of red, but pink is dainty while rose is sensual. It would also seem that mixing too many different intensities of different colors would send enough mixed signals to make a person flee a room.
Even fashion trends affect what colors mean to us. For centuries, black was considered the color of mourning, death and negativity in the Western world. However Coco Chanel changed all that when she introduced the “little black dress” in 1920. Suddenly, black was sexy, elegant and seductive. To this day, women look for the perfect little black dress for their wardrobe, wearing it with different accessories until it wears out. Likewise, when a new fashion trend highlights a different color, it’s often called “the new black.”
If black can be combined with any color to create a harmonious effect, why can’t purple or orange or sky blue? Color harmony can be achieved in several ways. The basic color wheel is red, orange yellow, green, blue and violet. Thus, first and foremost, colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel can be used in a color scheme. Different saturations of a single color create a monochromatic color scheme that can be harmonious. Secondly, an analogous color scheme combines three adjacent colors on the wheel. For instance, one can design a room in red, orange and yellow or yellow, green and blue. A third way to create a harmonious scheme is to use colors that are opposite each other on the wheel. Red and green, or violet and yellow are two examples of color opposites. This type of color combination has the highest contrast and most dramatic effect.
Too much of a good thing, however, can lead to a room, outfit or painting that triggers headaches instead of pleasure. Too many dramatic colors overwhelm the eye. Top interior designer Van Day Truex notes, “The easiest approach to any strong color is to use a lot of it, thus unifying a room. However, beware of too many strong colors unless you happen to like living on a battlefield.” On the other hand, too many pastels or neutrals make a design seem flat and uninspired.
Color harmony can also be defined as different colors with similar tones that converge without high contrast. For instance, architect Frank Lloyd Wright used color palettes drawn from the landscapes surrounding his famous residences. One of his most noteworthy buildings, Samara, illustrates Wright’s use of rust, green, turquoise and red, to bring the outdoor colors inside, creating harmony with nature.
Interestingly, product designers and marketers often utilize color psychology when creating packaging and advertising for their products. Focus groups have shown that red foods are perceived as sweeter than foods of any other color. Icy blues and silvers often denote frozen foods, while green is often used for “healthy” foods. Orange is used in the packaging of laundry detergent because orange is perceived as fresh, invigorating and clean. Would orange juice sell as well if it were packaged in bright blue cartons? Probably not!
The color spectrum has been with us since Sir Isaac Newton learned to refract light with a prism, and the turning color wheel shows us how to organize colors in harmony. Impressionist painter Claude Monet once said, “Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” A basic appreciation of color theory and its psychology helps ensure color schemes that avoid discord and enhance our lives.
