The Power of Color

Photo courtesy Pixabay

While we are well into the new year, we are just starting to revamp our blog here at Pretty.  When talking about revamping anything visual, be it a room, a building, branding or wardrobe, it's easy to start with color.  Color can shape the way we feel on a daily basis, like the sun finally coming out on a cloudy day.  And with spring just around the corner, what better time than now to talk about the power of color?



Photos courtesy Pixabay

Color is emotion visualized.  It has the power to immediately change the way you feel about a space.  We've all heard the various basic principles of color, how yellow makes you happy, red makes you angry, etc.  But there is so much more to the way color can change the entire feeling of a space than just basic emotional responses.  

Photos courtesy Pixabay

Much of the power of specific colors comes from the amount of light they absorb or reflect, and how this can in turn make a space feel cozy versus open, intimate versus sterile, and so on.  A general rule to grasp is the idea that cooler colors tend to make spaces feel cleaner, more open, and more restful, while warmer colors promote a cozy, more intimate feeling.

Photos courtesy Pixabay

Along with color temperature, contrast between colors can largely contribute to their power as well.  Red and green, for example, as seen in the picture of chili peppers above, are contrasting colors and when paired together make each other "pop" visually, making each color look more vibrant and alive.

Photos courtesy Pixabay

The same idea of contrast can be utilized to create visual excitement in a mostly neutral space.  So instead of the contrast being between one color versus another color, the contrast can be found between a vibrant color and a neutral color.  Dark grey interiors pair beautifully with rich blue accents, which can serve to highlight particular features in the room, for example.



Photos courtesy Pixabay

We wanted to present you with some powerful images of color to spark the creative inside you.  How do you respond to strong color?  What colors do you find most energizing and what you might call "helpful" in your every day life?  What is color doing for YOU?