Color

Color is a consideration for many components of our homes. The exterior, the walls, furnishings all have colors. And for some people those colors can have a large effect on how they feel.

Colors are an important design consideration. Color themes or palettes can create a sensation that the environment is planned and organized. Color can make objects stand out or blend in. A simple palette consists of a single color -- with various shades of that color being used regularly in the environment -- to strengthen the effect when items cannot be in the color, they are in "neutrals", usually whites, greys and black, metallics or sometimes tans and browns. Other color schemes rely on contrasting colors, complementary colors or sometimes two colors that just look good together.

Colors can have emotional effects on many people. ...

Colors and associations

Colors also have associations with holidays or feelings. Temporary decorations for a holiday often have a predominant color or color scheme. The meaning associated with different colors can also vary from one culture to another.

Red

Red is associated with

• luck and the Chinese New Year celebration
• love and Valentine's Day (also see pink below)
• Italian nationality (In some expatriate and Italian heritage communities in the U.S., red is worn on Columbus Day as a symbol of Italian solidarity or pride.)
• warmth and food
• danger

Red tends to be an intense color. It is associated with many strong emotions, such as anger or intense love. Too much red in a room can be overwhelming. Red is often muted by using a blended red, such as a brick red, or by using it as an accent color with other milder colors as the predominant color.

Orange

Orange is associated with

• pumpkins and Halloween (See Halloween party, and also the colors purple and black.)

Green

Green is associated with St. Patrick's day, Irish nationality, and ecologically friendly practices.

Blue

Blue is usually considered a calming color. It is a popular "favorite" color. And it is often used to decorate little boy's rooms. There are a range of blues...

When it is said that someone has the "blues" it means that they are sad and depressed.

Violet or Purple

Purple and lavender are secondary colors associated with Halloween (see orange and black too). Purple may be seen as a representation of royalty.

White

White is associated with

• cleanliness (but sometimes with extreme focus on cleanliness over comfort)
• Weddings (purity) in "Western" culture
• Mourning in some "Eastern" cultures

"True white" is difficult to achieve, see off-white below. Also see black and white below.

Black

Black is associated with

• Halloween
• despair

In conjunction with white, black has different associations, see black and white below.

Black and white

Black and white together are often associated with formal occasions, such as the kind of party where a black or white tuxedo would be worn. There are black and white parties. Black and white is used for some fancy "Western" New Year's Eve parties. And although white is a predominate color for Western weddings, black and white with a color is often part of the decorating scheme for a wedding.

turquoise and white

Cream, Light Off-White Colors

Neutral.

Pink

Pink is sometimes used with red, such as for Valentine's day. It's also a popular color for little girl's rooms. Traditionally it was seen as a very "feminine" color, but it's now being used in wider contexts.

Lavender

Lavender is a light purple and has similar associations. It's associated with grace and spirituality. Some associate it with femininity, Once upon a time, lavender was the color for "light" mourning.

Turquoise, Teal and Other Blue-Green Colors

Depending on the shade, these colors can be calming and tranquil or "modern" and fresh.

References

See the article on color symbolism on the symbolism wikia.