Homes are intimate spaces, and the elements we choose to style them consequently bear the ability to influence the way we feel when we enter a room. Often overlooked, design details such as color and texture can influence our brains’ perception and directly impact mood, emotion, and even energy levels.
When used intentionally, these details can be applied throughout the home to express personal style and speak to our senses on a deeper, psychological level. Here are a couple of ways we can help customers get that “just right” feeling about a newly finished project by tapping into our unique lifestyles.
A Hue For Every Mood
Much like the ebbs and flows of life itself, the resonance we feel with certain colors can change and evolve over time. When some of our favorite spaces start to lose their luster, sometimes all we need to consider is a quick palette cleanse. Deciding which colors best fit our lifestyles and complement our personalities is typically where the magic happens.
Thanks to what we know regarding color theory, the shades and hues we choose to incorporate in homes can prompt a number of different psychological responses. The perception of color is highly personal, so pay close attention to how you respond to certain colorways. While bright hues of red and orange might be invigorating to some, these same shades may introduce feelings of anxiety and overstimulation to others.
For a space that is calm and serene, look to nature-inspired shades of greens and blues, or perhaps warm, welcoming earth-toned neutrals. In contrast, deep, dark shades of greys, purples, and even black are often associated with a sense of mystique and might speak to the senses on a soulful level.
Pay close attention to the color palettes you naturally gravitate toward and trust your intuition.
Tone-Setting Texture
Textures, much like color, can evoke certain feelings by adding visual depth to a space. This sense of depth, scientifically speaking, adds dimension and expands our mental engagement with the physical spaces we inhabit. It may sound surprising, but enhancing the textural elements in a space often translates in the brain to that comfortable feeling of “home.”
While it will manifest differently from room to room, incorporating textiles, stone, wood grains, metals, decorative accessories, and other interesting materials is what makes the space welcoming and uniquely ours. Sleek, shiny textures and geometric patterns tend to reinforce a more suave, cosmopolitan atmosphere, whereas organic shapes and natural fibered textiles often have the opposite effect, directing our senses back to the warm, cozy familiarity of nature.
Throw pillows, rugs, wall hangings and lampshades can also add texture and dimension. On a larger scale, incorporating a manufactured stone veneer or brick accent wall or woven wallpaper may be the perfect way to add charm and character.
Smart, intentional changes to color and texture may be just the adjustment needed for occupants to feel their best in every space, helping to manifest inherent creativity while creating warmth and familiarity where we live, work, and entertain.
A version of this blog originally appeared on www.culturedstone.com.