ROLE OF COLOR IN HOUSING AND DESIGN

ROLE OF COLOR IN HOUSING AND DESIGN

WHY STUDY COLOR? The human eye can see as many as 6-7 million colors! This means is has a BIG IMPACT in the housing and design industry. In this lesson, we will understand how colors have an impact on our mood and how colors impact us psychologically We will also discuss how to use different sets of colors to make pleasing designs You may have learned this in art or textiles courses

MEANING BEHIND COLOR Red China: Good luck, celebration, summoning Cherokees: Success, triumph India: Purity South Africa: Color of mourning Russia: Communism Eastern: Worn by brides Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green) Orange Ireland: Religious (Protestants) Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn Yellow China: Nourishing Egypt: Color of mourning Japan: Courage India: Merchants Western: Hope, hazards, coward

MEANING BEHIND COLOR Blue Cherokees: Defeat, trouble Iran: Color of heaven and spirituality Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, "something blue" bridal tradition Green India: Islam Ireland: Symbol of the entire country Western: Spring, new birth, go, Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas (with red) Purple Thailand: Color of mourning (widows) Western: Royalty

MEANING BEHIND COLOR White Japan: White carnation symbolizes death Eastern: Funerals Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove) Black China: Color for young boys Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion

MEANING BEHIND COLOR Traffic light red, yellow, green Holiday colors Groups countries (flags), sports teams, etc.

COLOR WHEEL (PAINT WHEEL) Primary colors: red, yellow, and blue Secondary colors: orange, green, and violet Tertiary colors (intermediate colors): combination of primary and secondary

EFFECTS OF COLORS Violet Combines blue and red mixed effects May be too bold or unique for many rooms (consider redviolet or blue-violet) Blue-violet Cozy yet peaceful Bedrooms and dens Blue Bedroom and bathroom Soothing Light blue opens spaces; dark blue closes spaces Blue-green Please for rooms that offer refuge Tranquility Bedrooms, dens, three-season rooms

EFFECTS OF COLORS Green Calming effect Enlarges a space Bedrooms and rooms that adjoin to outdoor areas Yellow-green Catches the eye yet restful Pleasing in rooms that adjoin to outdoor spaces Yellow Catches the eye more than any other color Lights hallways, foyers Lifts moods in kitchens and hobby rooms Yellow-orange Warm and friendly Dining areas, basements, children s rooms

EFFECTS OF COLORS Orange Warms a room Welcoming Family rooms, living rooms, children s playrooms Red-orange Warmer than orange but not as dramatic of red Active spaces and accent walls Red Powerful, dramatic and warm Makes room appear smaller Good for large rooms and high-activity areas such as recreation rooms Red-violet Slightly warm yet relaxing Family rooms or accent walls

WARM COLORS Warm colors: red, orange, and yellow Warm colors tend to advance/move towards you These colors attract your attention and make you feel happy, energetic, cheerful, and excited. Red actually stimulates the nervous system Overuse of these colors can make you feel nervous or tense

COOL COLORS Cool colors: blues, greens, and purples Tend to recede or move away from you (seem smaller) Remind you of water, grass, and trees. Calm and relaxing Cool colors are quiet and restful. Used in hospitals and bedrooms.

COMPONENTS OF COLOR Pigments- substances that absorb some light rays and reflect others. Hue is the color feature that makes one color different from others (primary, secondary, tertiary) Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a color. Intensity lessons when mixed with complement color Complement color is the color opposite it on the color wheel.

COMPONENTS OF COLOR (PAINT TINTS/SHADES) Value is the lightness or darkness of a color (amount of black or white in the color) Adding white to a hue creates a tint. Lightens a color Ex. Pink is a tint of red. Adding black to a hue creates a shade. Darkens a color Ex. Navy blue is a shade of blue Adding gray to a color creates a tone.

COLOR SCHEMES A combination of colors that is pleasing to the eyes because of the values and intensities. Provides guidelines for designing successfully with color. Color schemes look best when one color dominates.

COLOR SCHEMES 1. Neutral 2. Monochromatic 3. Analogous 4. Complementary 5. Split-Complementary 6. Double-Complementary 7. Triadic

NEUTRAL White, black, and gray Why are black and white not on the color wheel? Not true colors All light absorbed = black All light reflected = white Useful because they change value/intensity of color Beige and brown are sometimes considered neutral but are not true neutral because they have a yellow or green base Accent colors are often used with neutral color schemes

MONOCHROMATIC Tints and shades of one color on the color wheel Changing value and intensity of the hue Quiet, restful effect on room

ANALOGOUS 2 to 5 hues next to each other on the color wheel More visually pleasing to use a primary, secondary, and tertiary grouping

COMPLEMENTARY Two colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY Three colors, they combine one color with the two colors on each side of its complement

DOUBLE COMPLEMENTARY Uses two sets of complimentary colors.

TRIADIC Three colors that are equal distance apart on the color wheel.

THINGS TO CONSIDER What type of activities will take place in this space? What type of mood do I want to set in this room? How much time will I spend in this room and at what times of day?

Neural REVIEW! Monochromatic Analogous Double-Complementary Complementary Split-Complementary Triad Warm Colors Cool Colors

A 1. Neutral 2. Monochromatic 3. Analogous 4. Complementary 5. Split-Complementary 6. Double-Complementary 7. Triad C E G D B F