The Psychology of Color

Todd Falconbury

We know you would not choose paint colors without us, but we find the psychology of colors simply fascinating. The Musso Design Group approach is to use bold colors in accessories against a neutral background. This gives the flexibility to change the feel of the room seasonally.

• Reds naturally make the biggest impact as an accent color in a room. Red is generally associated with passion and energy. While passion may be good for a bedroom, a more restful color may be a better choice. Red increases a person’s appetite which explains why it’s used in restaurants so often!

• Oranges tend to warm a room and can be more welcoming than red. Shades and tints of this color can work well in a living room with lots of natural light.

• Yellows are another warm and welcoming color that works well in foyers or other rooms that do not get a lot of natural light, but can have negative effects. Babies cry more often in yellow rooms than any other color. We suggest carefully chosen softer yellows.

• Blues can be soothing and serene and are described as a cool color. Blues often make great colors for bedrooms and bathrooms because of its restful qualities. Blue colors can also work as an appetite suppressant. Not good for a dining room...unless your on a diet!

• Green is also considered a comforting color, but more versatile than blue. Light greens are more appropriate for living rooms, home offices, and bedrooms where mid-tones are needed.

• Violet and plum colors can get complicated in a space, but if used correctly can be beautiful and dramatic in a living room, dining room, or library. Men typically dislike this color. Consider using darker tones, like eggplant, for focal or single walls.

• Gray encourages productivity and encourages creativity which is great for an office space!Black embraces a feeling of solidarity and formality. Black is considered a natural classic color. Use sparingly - a little bit goes a long way.

• White, we all know, represents purity. You can almost never go wrong using white with any other color in a room. Looks better in a more modern or contemporary setting.

• Browns are our earthy neutrals. Lighter browns can help unify a complete project if used as a backdrop. Darker browns tend to be more elegant than your lighter browns, but truly any shade of brown will work in almost any space and style.