Warm Colors and the Power to Inspire Passion, Optimism, and Happiness
If you love the fall, looking into a roaring fire, and the warm glow of sunshine, you might be drawn to the warmest colors on the spectrum; red, orange, and yellow. But how do these warmer colors really make us feel, and what types of people are drawn to them?
Red – The Color of Passion
There are only three primary colors on the spectrum, blue, yellow, and red. Of the three, the most dramatic standout is red. In fact, of all the colors, red provokes the strongest emotions, and it is this level of drama that can trigger the opposing and powerful emotions of passion and love as well as anger and danger.
People who like red are often extroverted, open, enthusiastic. They live their life to the fullest and can be quite competitive. It is not surprising that red is considered to be a powerful color. Red can increase a person’s heart rate and make them excited.
So how might red impact your home’s design?
- In your home office, red stimulates leadership, willpower, high energy levels, and friendship. It can keep you energized and focused to take on your workload.
- In your living room, red inspires friendship and stimulates conversation. Use red in your living areas to promote and encourage camaraderie.
- In your bedroom is where red really shines. It ignites desire and passion and stirs and inspires feelings of love.
Red is perfect when you want to draw attention to a design element or use it as an accent color. Use red too much and it can be overwhelming.
Orange – The Color Of Optimism
Orange is created by mixing yellow and red, so it combines the emotions of passion and happiness to evoke undeniable optimism and enthusiasm. It is strong like red, but not powerful. Instead, orange helps us feel cheerful and energized, inviting and friendly, and ready to take on the world.
People who like orange are social, optimistic, and even a little forceful. They need to be around others and enjoy being accepted into and part of a social group.
It is not surprising that orange is considered to be one of the most vibrant colors. Orange can lift you up emotionally and even a small object in orange (such as a mug or figurine) can help you from sinking into grief or disappointment.
So how might orange impact your home’s design?
- In your home kitchen, orange can instill happiness and even stimulate appetite. It is a great color to use as accents and in “moments” in the kitchen and can help you remain enthusiastic and optimistic even as you multitask.
- In your living room, orange inspires socialization and promotes friendship. The cheeriness will help any party atmosphere stay lively and warm.
- In your exercise room or work area, this is where orange really shines. It helps to motivate and energize you, and stimulate you to keep moving.
Orange is perfect as a design element or an accent color and pairs very well with neutral shades.
Yellow – The Color of Happiness
As a primary color, yellow is a building block for many other colors and shades, but in its purest form, yellow represents undeniable happiness. That’s because yellow is synonymous with the world’s most powerful source of happiness – the sun.
Yellow is associated with laughter, hope, and sunshine but it also evokes intelligence. In fact, yellow has been shown to enhance brain activity, heightened mental awareness, and increased mental acuity. Like it’s close cousin orange, yellow promotes optimism and cheer. The use of yellow helps you feel happy and light, but too much of it can be blinding and overstimulating.
People who like yellow are confident, optimistic, cheerful. They are good communicators and they make friends easily. They are loved by others because of their fun personality.
It is not surprising that yellow is considered to be the brightest of colors. Yellow can inspire and motivate us and help spread good cheer and happiness.
So how might yellow impact your home’s design?
- In your home kitchen, yellow is perfect for kitchens. It inspires creativity, happiness and helps stimulate the appetite.
- In hallways and baths, yellow can make small, dark places seem lighter, brighter and more open. It can also be used in your bath in smaller amounts to help you feel uplifted and inspired as you prepare for the day.
- In your work area or office, this is where yellow can really shine. It helps to stimulate creativity, enhance brain activity, and increase mental acuity.
Yellow can be an incredibly sophisticated design element when used as an accent color with grey or white.
