Ways Color Can Transform Your Living Space

Rose Morrison

Sep 7, 2021

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When you enter a room, what’s the first thing you notice? It’s likely the color or a lack thereof. Color adds so much to a room’s decor. It can completely transform how a room looks, from the size to how it reflects someone’s personality. The colors in your home show others your preferences, and you get to impact your family and others by the way you choose to use color. The different colors you see throughout the day can affect your mood and energy levels. This comes from color psychology, which is how colors relate to human behavior. If you’re looking to add some color to your living space, you need a bit of information about colors and how they can take a living area to a new level. Whether you want to paint a wall or add a few colorful decorations, the colors you choose will affect the room’s mood. 

Here are some ways color can transform your living space. 

White

a white bedroom with a light wooden desk

White is perhaps the most timeless color. It’s a classic color used in many homes, offices and schools. Even though it is a more plain color, it brightens the room and makes it feel more open and spacious. Use it in nearly any room to add brightness and freshness.

Black

a black bedroom wall with a black lamp and a wooden bed

Black is an edgier color. It is better if you use this color sparingly and add it in smaller doses as accents. Black offers depth, too. If you want this color to stand out, add pops of it with pillows, picture frames or other decor against a white background.

Brown

wooden cabin with old furniture

Brown is another traditional color. Shades of brown, including chocolate and beige, add warmth. The color brings about a sophisticated feeling, too. Brown shades are earth tones, and they help a space seem reliable and down to earth. Neutral tones pair well together, so use multiple if you can’t decide on just one shade. 

Metallic

a bedroom with metallic decor accents

Metallic colors enhance any room with a little bit of sparkle. It shows you have style and even adds durability to a room. Plus, metallic colors can promote creativity and evoke excitement. Metallic shades work great in any room. 

Red

a kitchen with a red curtain that lights the room red

Red has a range of powerful shades. Crimson, maroon and bright red all bring intense feelings and raise energy levels. This color is excellent as an accent color, and it can even increase heart rate and raise blood pressure.

Orange

a white room with orange accent pillows

Orange is a more vibrant color. It promotes activity and excitement. Brighter orange shades can be a bit overpowering, so opt for lighter, toned-down shades.

Yellow

a yellow room with yellow decor

When you see yellow, you probably feel happy! It’s a cheerful color and can be added as a fun color to any room. This color will transform your living space into an instant mood booster. If you want to capture sunshine in a room, then yellow is your go-to color.

Green

a green room with a white bird light

One of the more restful and relaxing colors is green. If you go outside and find yourself surrounded by trees, you likely feel calmer and one with nature. Green additions to a room can have the same effect. The color relieves stress and can even improve fertility.

Blue

Even though green is a calming color, blue is the calmest of them all. It’s soothing and may lower blood pressure and stress levels. Shades of blue are also associated with cleanliness and trust, so it would be an excellent color for the bathroom to show that you have a clean home! 

Purple

a computer backlit with purple light

Purple has long been known as a royal shade. However, it can also feel mysterious. It brings about sophistication, especially with darker shades. If you want to use purple to have a more relaxed feel to a living space, you can add lighter shades, like lavender and lilac.

Pink

Pink is a warmer color, but it still brings calmness. It is also associated with kindness, love and can even boost creativity. This would be a great addition to an office to spark ingenuity and help keep you focused. 

Ways to Add Color to Your Living Space

Painting an accent wall is a classic way to add color to a living space. An accent wall can truly transform a room, but it’s not the only way to integrate your favorite colors into your living room, bathroom, kitchen or bedroom. Here are some unique ways to add color to your home: 

  • Pillows: Add a few throw pillows to your couch or bed to bring in multiple colors. Choose a variety of patterns and solids, and experiment with their placements. 
  • Plants: Nature provides so many different hues. Put some flowers in a vase to brighten up a kitchen, and add some greenery throughout your home for freshness. Plants are also proven mood boosters, and they help keep you focused. 
  • Lamps: With the technology available today, you can add color with a lamp or new light source. You can change the entire color of a room by using color-changing lights, or you can even update your lampshade to add some color. 
  • Rugs: Area rugs naturally soften up a room, and they can bring in texture and color. Put a colorful patterned rug under your solid couch to add interest to your living room.
  • Bookshelves: If you don’t want to commit to repainting an entire bookshelf, you can paint either the backing or the shelf inserts. Stack books with bright-colored covers, too, to add depth and another level of color. 

You can always find a way to integrate pops of color into every room. Use bold colors sparingly, and match the color to the mood you want to invoke in each living space in your home.

Add a Pop of Color to Every Room

Color freshens up any space. If you’re looking to change the mood of a room, just use some color! It will completely transform your living space.

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