Why to Paint Certain Rooms Certain Colors

Though painting your walls is far from a permanent change, it still merits a little research before you start slapping on color. Maybe our recent post covering soothing color schemes got you thinking about how wall color can affect your mind and your mood. Or perhaps you’re hoping to change your room’s atmosphere without redecorating. Regardless of your motives, if you don't have time to dive into color theory, check out our list of research-based recommendations to save you time in designing your ideal palette.

Lively Living Room

You want the space where you entertain to be a social hub filled with warmth and comfort. Painting your living room orange allows it to embody these characteristics. Just be careful of the shade you use, as you run the risk of alluding to Halloween or, worse, prison inmate uniforms. However, with orange-ish hues from marigold and apricot to cider and honey available, you have plenty of cozy options.

Serene Study

An office is a place for you to feel calm and in control while you're striving for success. Blue on your study walls promotes this type of positivity. Avoid selecting a shade that’s too cool, though. Keep the undertones on the warm side of the spectrum to maintain a welcome feeling in the space.

Kind Kitchen

Red may initially seem like a menacing color, but it’s actually an ideal hue for your kitchen. Red represents passion, optimism and adventure, all qualities you want to experience when exploring your culinary capabilities. The color is also said to help spark romance, which is great for when you start your evening in the kitchen and plan to end it elsewhere.

Bold Bathroom

When you wake up in the morning, one of the first things you do is visit your bathroom. You want a space that grabs your attention and exudes energy and happiness. Yellow is the best color to create enthusiasm and promote confidence and optimism, qualities everyone deserves to start their day with. Keep in mind that too much yellow can cause distress so if you have a large master bathroom, consider having an accent wall in yellow and leave the remainder of the walls neutral. 

Balanced Bedroom

Your bedroom should be the most serene place in your home. For this space, you want a color that reminds you of nature, balance and even financial comfort. Green is naturally calming and can even prevent nightmares. Keep in mind, however, that too much green can lead to laziness and depression. This is another color to consider as an accent wall or in a lighter shade such as mint, pistachio or seafoam.

Whether you're dreaming, cooking, socializing, working or resting, the color that surrounds you can have a noticeable impact on your mood and your mindset. Check out Gracie on North Stemmons Freeway for exquisite hand-painted and textured wallpaper in all of the above colors; Artistic Tile, off Hi Line Drive, for unique artisan tile in a variety of hues; and Innovations in Wallcoverings, off Slocum Street, for some amazing alternatives to paint such as leather and metallic. The Dallas Design District's showrooms and galleries have everything you need to bring your color palette of choice to life.