color psychology – blue

When designing and decorating your home, it is important to know that Color is the first thing people notice.  Studies have shown that 90% of snap judgements are influenced by the color alone.

Blue is important to discuss because it is the favorite color among humans worldwide.  Blue is a primary color on the additive (Light) RGB and subtractive (Paint) RYB color models.  But there are many shades of blue ranging from wavelengths of 450 – 520 nm.

Some blues can invoke rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming.  Other blues are electric or brilliant and become dynamic and dramatic.  Some shades of blue may even come across as cold or uncaring.  When designing a space, of you choose to paint the room blue, the shade of blue becomes very important.

Below are some of our favorite blues for homes.

 

Icy blues bring the skies indoors. This beautiful blue-gray (Benjamin Moore’s Water’s Edge 1635) gives the illusion of bringing the outside in. The high-gloss lacquer offers a mirror-like finish.  Studies have shown that certain blue helps your ability to focus, and this shade of blue is a great example of that.

 

 

 

 

 

sky blues

Blues that are the color of the ocean and sky are perceived as a constant in our lives, and some of the calmest colors.  These shades of blue are the colors of trust, and can induce calm and convey serenity and peace.  Sky blue is non-threatening and promotes healing.

When used in your home, sky blues can suddenly makes the ceiling of a room seem taller, and the space somehow seem larger. It totally changes the room’s energy.

 

pale blues

Blues are often used to paint offices because research has shown that people are more productive in blue rooms.  Pale blues inspire creativity and the freedom to break free.  They can also help you focus on the task at hand, which is great for a home office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Azure Blue

A color of pure freedom, azure inspires creativity and ambition to achieve great things.  It provides a sense of purpose in striving for goals.

Azure shades of blue remind many people of tropical islands. The color is seen in many oceans including the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas, and is also commonly used in the architecture of those areas, especially for doors and windows.

Even though it’s a medium-bright tone, it’s still calming, yet vibrant enough to make you feel happy as soon as you enter a room with this color. Add accents of tangerine and lime green to enhance the tropical flavor.

 

Dark Blue

Dark blue is the color of responsibility, and appears to be cool, calm and collected.  The feeling of dark blue is inward focused with a serious nature.  It can be authoritative and powerful when used to color the walls of a room.  Dark blues can promote not only sophistication and social interaction, but also reflection.

Deep, rich, dark blue paints are effective when painting smaller rooms or rooms used for dining or entertainment. 

A small room lends itself to a rich jewel-box treatment, like this room using Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball.