About Color
COLOR...EVER CHANGING
Color is ever changing. Leading manufacturers invest an immense amount of time into the hundreds upon hundreds of colors produced. Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr and every other paint manufacturer in the industry know where it's at... it's just all about COLOR!
Look at around...everything is color. We don't think about color until it's time a new dress, new shoes, new car - and then we think what color? Most of us have an easy time choosing colors for everyday objects, but when it comes to choosing exterior and interior house paint colors, we suddenly become flummoxed.
Color has a profound impact on mood and perception. Research shows that warm colors like red and orange are likely to stimulate impulse purchases. Crackers and bread are often sold in brown packaging because it conveys the idea of oven-baked. Color preferences are influenced by gender and culture, and vary from person to person. In general, though, most people associate red and black with anger, power, excitement, and love. Yellow is generally associated with happiness, except in Germany, where it means jealously. Green means freshness, good taste, and envy. Blue is associated with masculinity, competence, and quality. Pink is sincere and feminine. Purple means sophistication and power. Brown evokes the idea of ruggedness. Black can be grief or sophistication. White symbolizes purity and sincerity.
Research shows that people are drawn to warm colors but rate cool colors more favorably. Color plays an important role in store merchandizing because it has a direct impact on buying behavior. Blue tends to have higher buying patterns, but store lighting alters the impact of color. Casinos use light and color to their advantage by pairing blue light with warm colors, to create a mood of excitement in which time seems to pass quickly.
Colors can change the mood of a room and make it seem more cozy or spacious. Red makes a room seem more stimulating and creates a bold impression. It can stimulate conversation in a living room or appetites in a dining room. Yellow is often a sunny and happy color, but research has shown that rooms painted mainly yellow tend to create feelings of frustration and anger. Adults argue more and babies cry more in yellow rooms. So, use yellow more as an accent color to get that happy feeling. Dark purples, such as eggplant, convey ideas of luxury and sophistication. Light purples, such as lavender, create a sense of tranquility without the chilliness of blue. Orange is an energetic color that is best used in accents. It will empower your workout if you have a home gym painted orange. Green is the most restful color and helps people relax. Blue is also a calming, serene color but can make a room seem cold. Blue has many shades, from warm periwinkles to bright aqua, so it has many possible associations.
In a study by Harris Poll for Sherwin-Williams (2017), 62% of more than 2000 adult Americans chose blue as their favorite paint color. This is especially true in the South. Yellow ranked as the least favorite color nationwide, but this may be partly due to the fact that yellow includes diverse colors, from truly sunny to muddy ochre. What are your favorite paint colors? Or do you feel baffled by paint color altogether?