Just the Right Color (Temperature.)

We all have our favorite colors; the one that we find ourselves gravitating to over and over again. Can the temperature of the same "color" affect how we feel when used in a space? Does a lemon yellow pillow feel different from NYC Taxi Yellow? In this quick post, I want to explore the idea that color temperature plays a larger role in how we perceive our surroundings.

We see color before we perceive it's temperature. Warm colors are generally. considered to be red, orange and yellow; whereas cool color tones are thought to include green, blue and purple. This categorization is somewhat misleading because RED can be cool or warm. (Think deep wine red versus tomato red.)

When you look at your favorite color (or the walls in your home), what feelings do they evoke? A vibrant tangerine-orange may make you feel warm and an icy blue can bring on cold shivers? But the same color can feel fresh or dirty as well.

The reason that certain colors can evoke such different feelings has to do with our perception. For example, warm colors advance into space while cool tones recede; making us feel like we are "in" the color.

Multiple factors that contribute to our perception of color temperature including lighting, size and other colors in the room.

That color temperature can affect the mood of a space is not surprising. In fact, it's very common for people to select colors that they feel will make their homes or offices "feel fun" or "look calm."

If you are looking to change up your surroundings and give them a little color boost - I recommend using color temperature as an additional factor along with hue, saturation and value when choosing paint colors! If the color feels right in every other way but just isn't quite doing it for you emotionally, try playing around with its warmth level until you find one that makes everything fall into place. This may require making sure there's enough blue tones in order to balance out any yellow ones which gives off more heat than coolness...

The right color temperature can really make or break a space.