Yellow for the office, red for the hall: how colours work

By Sascha Rettig Nov 3, 2011, 3:07 GMT

Berlin - Colours create mood in a home - green is calming, red is stimulating and yellow increases brain activity - but when all the walls in a room are painted the same colour, it can change their effect.

How colours work in a room depends on their intensity and the way they are balanced. For example, red can have an aggressive effect when painted on all four walls. Colours can affect a person's mood or a person's level of stimulation or productivity. Experts say not every colour fits in every room, and some should be used only sparingly.

'In colour perception, there are no great individual differences,' said Isabelle Wolf, a colour specialist in Germany.

No one considers red a cold colour - it is as if that were imprinted in our brains from the time of our ancestors. While red is a dynamic, powerful and stimulating colour, green is harmonious, calming and balanced.

Rooms shouldn't be set up with a single theme, said Axel Venn, a designer and professor for colour design and trends at a school for applied science and art in Hildesheim, Germany.

'Two-thirds of the room should have a calming effect,' said Venn. Milder colours achieve this best. Examples are sun tones and shades of chalk, linen or sorbet.

'The stimulating effect of the remaining third of the room can be achieved through brighter colours or pastels,' said Venn, adding that fabrics used in drapes and accessories such as books and photographs can also have more intense colours. But when colours are too strong, it can churn up the room.

A deciding factor in the overall effect of a room is the colour 'weight,' said Uwe Linke, a psychologist specializing in the home environment.

'While light pastel tones have little weight, strong colours and dark colours are massive and should be used advisedly,' Linke said. He also recommends never using more than three colours, otherwise the room looks unsettled.

In addition to the colours selected, light is an important aspect of a room.

'Colours are brought out by light and through it they achieve their full effect,' said Venn. 'A number of light sources are recommended to create cozy corners.' Most people wouldn't like a room that is completely flooded in light.

Some colours lend themselves best as accents.

'Red is seldom used for an entire room, rather it is suggested as a classic accent colour,' said Venn. 'Rooms that are seldom used such as hallways and dining rooms that are just for show can be decorated in red,' said Wolf. 'On the other hand, red is too provocative for the bedroom and not conducive to restful sleep.'

Colour can make an impression in small measures as well. A red ottoman or stool, for example, can make red the dominant colour of a room. Leather and fur accents can set the colour tone of a room and an open fireplace also can feature a dominant colour.

Colour also has an influence on the temperament of a person. 'A phlegmatic person decorates completely in green and never gets going,' said Wolf. Green is too staid. 'Instead, colours with an activating impulse such as red or orange should be used.'

Colour is often used in offices to create a particular atmosphere. 'Workplaces painted in yellow are more stimulating and shops in red tones are more inviting,' said Linke. Red is not appropriate for a kindergarten because it is linked with aggression and loudness.