The Short and Sweet guide to the Power of Colour
There’s something about colour
People have known that colour affects us for thousands of years. Ancient cultures believed that specific colours hold the power to affect parts of our psyche and to heal. Today, colour psychology has been documented and colours have been shown to affect how we feel and how we come across to other people. Let’s get the lowdown on the different colour powers and what they can do for you.
Red
The first colour in the rainbow has a very strong appeal. Not only does red light have the longest frequency, which means it is able to travel across the universe for centuries (literally), but it has the ability to make us feel strong and powerful. Perhaps we should refer to red as the most powerful colour on the spectrum.
Wear red to make yourself feel good, to make yourself seem more competent and confident. Red is very sexy, too, so a swipe of red lipstick on women is never out of place. Maybe it’s because it is the colour with the longest frequency that it adds so much energy, but red has also been shown to rile up athletes and get your energy levels up, a good enough reason to add some red to your workout kit.
Orange
The next colour on the light frequency spectrum, orange is also believed to be a high energy colour. Still a strong hue, but leaning towards the lighter side of the spectrum, orange has the best of red and yellow, which means it has a sense of both.
Orange is a strong colour, so maybe not the best option for indoors, but a great tint to have in your wardrobe to make you feel bright and happy.
Yellow
Arguably the happiest colour in the spectrum, yellow inevitably brings about a mood change. Designers and interior decorators know that colour sets the mood, and with yellow that mood is inevitably light and friendly.
Yellow is a great choice if you’re planning to redecorate a room, as it will make it feel friendly and open. When studying, yellow is also a good colour to use to stimulate memory and brain function.
Green
Green makes us think of nature, and in fact in recent years the colour has become synonymous with conservation. But it’s other associations are with wealth, harmony, and quality. Just think about famous green logo’s and how the colour falls in place with the brand it’s associated with.
Green is a combination of blue and yellow, and as such features properties associated with both: it is a calming colour as well as friendly. Work green into your home through potted plants and you will start to feel the calm.
Blue
One of the calmest colours on the spectrum and the light with the highest frequency, blue has a way of just mellowing us out. Although not as friendly as its other colour counterparts, blue nonetheless has positive properties.
The colour blue carries the least energy and maybe that’s why it makes us so calm when we are surrounded by it. Hospitals are often painted blue, and blue is a great choice for any interior, as it creates a calm open space, especially light blue. Perhaps this is why schools in America have been known to paint the guest team’s dressing room blue (and the home team’s red).
For more on colour:
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/19/science/color-has-a-powerful-effect-on-behavior-researchers-assert.html?&pagewanted=all
http://freshome.com/room-color-and-how-it-affects-your-mood/
https://blog.edynco.com/instructional-design/how-colors-can-enhance-memory-performance/
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13527260500247827