Is your favorite color really beige, cream, or gray? Then why do we have so much of it our homes, from our furniture, to carpeting, to sheets, to wall color?! Our homes, and the objects in our home, should delight us and give us both the sense of coziness of the familiar, and the wonder of excitement.
Why Are We Afraid Of Colors
When it comes to choosing color in our homes, the fear of making a mistake or thinking we'll tire of a choice, is often the reason that people shy away from introducing bolder color choices when it comes to things like furniture, paint, and window dressing. But overcoming this fear with pops of color in smaller or less permanent objects is a good way to start to overcome this fear. A pink vase here, a blue picture frame there, or even a red throw blanket. ;)
Colors and Moods
You've no doubt heard of some colors being associated with specific feelings, such as blue for calm and red for excitement, but the fact is that all colors attract our attention. Evolutionary, this is especially true with bright or vivid colors, as our eyes are attuned to be acutely aware of slight differences in color and boldness in color.
In her new book, The Aesthetics of Joy, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explains how we can create more joyful spaces, noting that:
... the liveliest places always include bright, vivid colors, which invariably spark feelings of delight.
One interesting way to approach this is to introduce color in unexpected places, like door frames, the inside of a closet, or by using colored grout.
But What Specific Colors Are Going To Make Me Happy?
We encourage you to not look to a guide or set of rules about what others think is the best color to liven up a room, but to instead to chose colors based on how they make you feel. Your bravery to try more color will either teach you something new about your preferences, or introduce a item in your home that will bring you continual joy and inspiration.