Colors for Interior Design | Theories Behind Colors Used for Interior Design

Want to learn the basic meanings of your favorite colors? Here are a few common theories that are practiced in design. Keep in mind that these are western culture values and are subject to interpretation and even religious differences.

A blank, fresh canvas; feels cool, pure, bright and airy. Clean, but has a tendency to feel sterile and uncomfortable if too stark or lacking layered textures.

Energetic and alive, but yellow causes more eye fatigue and arguments than any other color. In small doses, yellow is a friendly and happy complement to other colors, white and brown.

Orange exudes vitality, life and cheerfulness. Orange improves appetites without being ravenous. Terra Cotta colored dining rooms helps satisfy full bellies. A great accent to brown, black and shades of “white”.

Increased blood pressure and appetite. It’s great as an accent in small doses, or to build drama in large amounts. Red is stimulating and can cause people to lose track of time- great for home gyms or increasing productivity in offices. Red is one of the most difficult colors to “get right” in monochromatic schemes. It can have a pink, purple, black, brown, or yellow cast to it, much like beiges.

Except in florals, a saturated purple is not a commonly naturally occurring color, with the exception of the sky. Historically, it is the color of royalty, as fabrics and anything purple were expensive and difficult to obtain in patriarchic societies. Deep shades are opulent and mysterious, while lavenders are soft and feminine. Purple is a tricky color to blend with a lot of wood tones and needs to be chosen carefully. Paired with gray it can be stunning.

Another challenge to enter into a log home/timber design scheme except for feminine and beachy themes. Soft pink reduces anger and aggression and bright pinks are energizing and indicate you are a true risk taker.

A favorite across genders, it is also a color found in nature, and therefore a great pick for rustic homes. Blues relax and center a space. Spiritual and restful, great for bedrooms and studies, where blue is actually proven to increase concentration and productivity. Blue is loyal and dependable and one of the most popular colors of all time.

The new “neutral” of the 21st century, green is the most common color found in nature. It is alive and represents health and healing. Lighter shades are timeless, while lime and teal make great trendy accents.

Gray is often the forgotten neutral, and if the right shade is chosen, can be cozy or clean and not drab. Gray invites creativity and production in offices and studies, as it is not distracting. Grays can be very stylish and sophisticated, and with a little brown mixed in look great in contemporary timber homes as well as in the silver patina of traditional early American style.

The color of wood, varied shades of brown are the epitome of strength, warmth and security- no wonder the perfect backdrop in a log home! Browns live forever and hide dirt and wear extremely well. Make browns pop with an unexpected bright color punch, add soft color with a pastel, or warm it up with spicy colors like yellow, orange and red.

Best used as an accent or on non-permanent surfaces. It is sophisticated, classy, and somber and is the most submissive of any color. Black makes rooms look smaller, and is hard to cover up, so use black carefully- but don’t forget to add a little to each space, somewhere! Black acts like an anchor in the room, creating a sense of gravity and realism.

About the Author:
Not your stereotypical interior designer, Stephanie Gauthier, in-house designer for Wisconsin Log Homes, reveals a few of her trade secrets exclusively on LogHome.com.