This was a building in Dublin that got my attention due to its bold colors. I had to capture it as I knew my memory would fade it’s color over time.
Paint color holds a lot of power; It can help determine a mood, feeling and enhance the senses. There’s really a whole psychology behind it and it’s truly fascinating. Have you noticed when you go into a healthcare facility that the colors seem to be more muted and soft? That’s to help calm and comfort. Or when you’re in a restaurant and the colors are vibrant and bold? That’s to give the feeling of excitement and enhance hunger.
When choosing your paint color it’s often overwhelming and most likely you aren’t thinking thru the mental ramifications. What will this color do to my mood, right? We normally pick based on what our guts tell us; “this color seems nice”. Or your selection is based on trying to match a bedspread you just bought. None of those methods are wrong or bad. However if you’re going to put in the time and money to paint, you might as well do it right. What determines right? Right is when you’re happy with the end result and not surprised by the outcome. There are many tools at our disposal today. It used to be much more of a guessing game, but companies like Sherwin Williams have taken some of the guess work out. Their online tools and in-store resources really put the control back in your hands. There are wonderful booklets with predetermined color pairings that help take the stress out of choosing. The online visualization tools are also helpful with those that have a hard time picturing the space as a whole. Of course, you can always hire someone such as myself to help with the selections but I’m aware the mass majority of people that are painting room by room are taking matters into their own hands.
My other bit of advice if you’re painting a single room is to not just think of that room but your house as a whole. Recall memories of your favorite places to stay or visit. I’m sure as you mentally walk thru that place it guides you into different rooms and brings back a warm feeling and puts a smile on your face. I’m sure the professional designer had a concept in mind and carried that thru the whole facility. Your house could do the same. It’s about thinking holistically, and not room by room.
There are no defined rules when it comes to your house. The fact is, it’s your house, your likes, your rules. You’re the one living there, so enjoy and be happy with the environment you create. This was just a simple reminder that color does have power and to handle it as such. Happy painting!