Learning the basic “language of color” will help you achieve your decorating goals. Here is a simple break-down from Sherwin-Williams:

Hue

Hue identifies the general family of a color, such as red, yellow, blue or green. The traditional color wheel is made up of twelve color families: red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue-red-violet, violet and blue-violet.

Color Wheel

Colors on the opposite side of the wheel from each other are called complementary colors. In combination, these create striking contrasts. For less contrast, choose colors next to each other on the color wheel, which are called analogous colors. Choosing colors of different tints within one color family creates a monochromatic color scheme.

Warm or Cool?

Different colors in the same family may be described as being “warm” or “cool.” Colors with yellow undertones will seem warmer, while the same color with blue or red undertones will appear cool. Cool colors – blue, green, violet – invite relaxation and thought. Warm colors – red, orange, yellow – encourage conversation and play. Sherwin-Williams color experts suggest using both warm and cool colors in rooms where you desire balance and variety.

Value

Value describes how light or dark a specific color may be. On most color strips, lighter values are at the top, mid-tone values are in the middle and darker values are at the bottom. When you combine colors from a single color strip, you’re creating a monochromatic color scheme – perfect for creating a sophisticated, spacious look in a single room.

I came across an article online about color for kid’s rooms that inspire motivation. It’s interesting to think about how much color choices in a room can effect us. You can read the full article on eHow Home. Below is an excerpt from the article.

Color Influences Mood

Since color may influence both emotions and productivity, it’s important to make wise color selections. Bold colors, particularly shades of red or violet, have a tendency to stimulate adrenaline, which increases energy and indirectly improves production. Depending on the tone, shades of yellow and green are both motivating and encourage a more cheerful attitude. Lemon yellows, according to color theory, are the first color recognized by the brain and may increase comprehension significantly. Additionally, modern décor largely embraces mossy greens because they are aesthetically pleasing and highly motivational without being distracting. The key to any color is to use it in moderation because bold colors, though energizing, may become distracting. Instead of painting an entire room, paint a single wall or include accents of a motivational color. This will ensure a visually interesting space that is more comfortable to work in.

Read more: Are There Colors for Kids’ Rooms That Motivate Them? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8308595_there-colors-kids-rooms-motivate.html#ixzz1fKgjQJ8V

What would you do if your neighbor had a hot pink house?  Yep, that’s right.  Hot pink house!  This particular home was flanked by a grey home and a hot pink home.  Now you’re really forced, like it or not, to select a paint color that compliments the homes that flank your home.

It actually became an easy solution.  We painted the house in a wonderful Sherwin Williams Jersey Cream yellow, trimmed with a crisp white and added a splash of blue using Sherwin Williams Notable Hue on the front door.  Now the house blends in beautifully without competing with the two houses on either side, yet stands out in its own right.

It’s now time for me to step in and get them to slow down.  I encourage them to take all of the paint chips off the wall and pick from just a few.  Once in a while, this is a difficult task until they begin to trust that I can find the right color for them.  When this happens, and I can show them why that particular shade of paint will work, then it all begins to fall into place and the real fun begins.

Picking the right paint color for your walls takes an educated eye.  It takes trust in your color consultant to allow them to guide you.  I am able to begin the color consulting process before you’ve become overwhelmed by too many choices.  I try to make it fun.  It’s fun for me, so it should be fun for you.  When the paint is up, and it’s all finished, and you’re happy, that’s the favorite part of the color consulting; that’s the pay off.  The happy, confident customer and one that shares his or her excitement with others is my reward.

PDCA logo

Painting and Decorating Contractors of America:  The PDCA is the only trade association dedicated to the success of painting and decorating contractors. Nearly 2,000 contractors in America and Canada are proud members of this organization founded in 1884.

The mission of the PDCA is “to serve the coating and wall covering industry with standards, education, training, advocacy, and best practices essential to member success.”

NARI logo

National Association of the Remodeling Industry: Members of NARI are full service contractors, design-build firms, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, subcontractors, lenders and other related professionals who work in the remodeling field. NARI is committed to educating both trade professionals and remodeling-ready homeowners. NARI does this by reaching out to a diverse audience in a variety of formats including education, training, publications and programs.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry is dedicated to being the best resource for knowledge and training in the remodeling industry. Together we help construct the dreams in people’s lives.

Now think of those colors and imagine painting them on your walls.  Color is one of the most fulfilling parts of our lives.  It evokes emotions, and choosing the right paint colors for your walls by using the inspiration of the spices we use, can create a warm and soothing environment.  Color around us makes us happy, it warms us and it excites us.  At this time of year, it’s the best time to take the spices of your cooking and paint them onto the walls in your home.  So let the contents of that pantry inspire you to get the paprika off the shelf and onto your walls.  It will change the way you feel about your home.

When choosing paint colors for your kitchen, we know you’re already balancing what you want, what your family wants and what works with the rest of your home. Now here’s one more thing to throw into the equation: What color will make you overeat?

Take a look at these two kitchens. Does one of them make you feel more hungry than the other?

Whether or not you felt it from the gallery, in real life it’s the red kitchen that subconsciously stimulates your appetite. It also ups your blood pressure and heart rate, getting you all excited to act on that hunger. It’s certainly the reason that fast food and supermarket chains rely on the hue for their logos. We’re onto you, Wendy’s and Costco!

Meanwhile, blue has the opposite affect: It lowers blood pressure and pulse rate and among all the colors, is the least appetizing. Why? A combination of blue’s calming effect and the simple fact that our bodies are trained to not associate blue with food. Think about it: Besides blueberries and the rare blue potato, can you name any other foods found in nature that are blue?

Even if you’re not about to repaint the entire room, keep this color psychology in mind when decorating the kitchen: Blue plates might help you eat less and a red tablecloth can be perfect for festive family meals when you want to keep everybody at the table.

Well, in preparing your home for the season, don’t forget to dress up your walls.  You get dressed up for the holiday parties, so think about doing the same for your home.  Now is the time to put fresh paint color up in your dining room, or the spaces where your family and guests will gather to help create a warm and inviting space.  It’s time to give your walls a new coat of color for the holidays.

Brooks Painting can help you select the perfect paint colors to last you through the holiday seasons and into the next year.  This new coat of paint doesn’t have to be just for the holidays, but should be something that you’ll love for a few years until you’re ready to do it all over again.

The holiday season inspires us to focus on family and our home.  Let fresh new color inspire you too.

Terese Eiseman

Estimator, Color Consultant