FARJANA AKTER BOBY

HSTU,DINAJPUR

COLOR THEORY
Color is considered as the basic visual perception of any space. It plays
multiple roles in affecting the mood of the person, energy levels and sense
or order/disorder. It is a powerful tool in interior design, as it can be used to
create a specific atmosphere and evoke specific emotions in a space.

Space psychology

• "According to environmental psychology, each person is realized and

perceived through an invisible shelter or a series of shelters
surrounding his body”

• interaction between people and the space they live in ( interior space,
house, school, office or café)

• direct impact on human’s subconscious, that part of the brain which

reacts to different spaces and colors, contributing to emotions and
perceptions

• responds to many elements like- color, lighting, form, scale and

texture
 Proximity of Personal Space of a Human

Color

"a specific visual sensation produced by visible radiation, or color stimulus

that occurs when light from a natural or artificial source is interrupted by an
object or a dust particle"

• strong influence on psychological well-being

• communicate feeling of excitement, passion, serenity or mystery
• externalizes human-being’s tastes and styles
• affect mood , productivity, subjective impressions of human
• catch attention
• hold attention
• convey information
• make information memorable

Attributes of color

three attributes of color are

➢ Hue
➢ saturation and
➢ lightness (value)
Hue is the quality or characteristic of color that is usually associated
with names such as red, blue, yellow, green, violet, etc., which are
determined by wave length . Hue is the name of the colors.

Saturation is the other attribute that refers to relative purity, strength,

intensity, dullness or chroma of a given color that distinguishes it from a
grayed or weaker color. same hue, but the difference in saturation will
appear different
Lightness or color values of a color is a measure of how much light is
reflected from its surface, and the quality that generates the light or dark
colors

COLOR VALUES

❖ the lights and darks of a color by using black and white (‘neutrals”)
with a color
❖ white + color = tint (Tints are lightened colors)

❖ color + black = shade (Shades are darkened colors)

Types of color

In 17th century, the famous mathematician and physicist Sir Isaac Newton
conducted a number of experiments to prove that a rainbow consists of all
the existing colors. He darkened the room, letting the light only through a
small hole and placed a prism in front of it. He succeeded in reflecting all
seven colors on a white background and he called them the Visible
Spectrum.

These colors are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

The first circular color diagram was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666.
The most common version is a wheel of 12 colors based on the RYB (or
artistic) color model.
The color wheel or color circle is the basic tool for combining colors.
 Different types of color wheels

Warm and cool colors spectrum

there are three primary colors

 Red

Yellow [3 primary colors]

Blue

Secondary colors are formed by mixing these three primary colors

+ =

Blue Yellow Green

+ = [ 3 secondary colors]

Red Yellow Orange

 + =

Blue Red violet

Tertiary or Intermediate colors are created by mixing a primary

and a secondary

Primary + Secondary = Tertiary

+ +
Red Orange Yellow Orange

+ + [6 tertiary colors]
Blue Green Blue Purple

+ +
Yellow Green Red purple
By moving through the color wheel, harmony between neighboring colors
can be seen. There are four basic color harmonies or schemes which are
• Achromatic,
• Monochromatic,
• Analogous and
• Complementary

Achromatic

➢ Neutral colors
➢ Contain equal parts of each of the three primary colors
➢ White , grey, black ,beige
Monochromatic
“Mono” means “one”, “chroma” means “color”… monochromatic
color schemes have only one color and its values

TINTS

SHADES

➢ any one color family

➢ tints and shades of one color
➢ example: pale green with pure green and dark green

This non-objective painting has a monochromatic color scheme –

green and the values (tints and shades) of green.

Analogous
 groups of colors that are next to each other on the color
wheel
➢ Combined of related harmonious colors
➢ Not more than two or three

➢ Example:

Blue

Blue-Green

Green
Yellow-Green

Analogous colors are illustrated here: blue, blue green,

green and yellow green.
Complementary

➢ directly opposite to each other on the color wheel

➢ introduce both warm and cool colors
➢ warm color

Red Orange yellow

➢ cool colors

Blue Green Purple

➢ combinations of red and green, orange and blue, or yellow

and violet
 Purple

yellow

This painting has complementary colors and their values –

yellows and purples

Psychological Impacts of achromatic colors on

human

Achromatic colors

Black
Merits
• Color of elegance
• mixture of all colors totally absorbed.
• power, mystery and death
• bold and dramatic interiors
• effect of refinement

Demerits
• unfriendly and unapproachable
• cause abasements and mood swings
• create an adverse environment
• black retains the heat
• cold and dark environment

White
Merits
• symbolizes innocence, purity and truth
• clean, hygienic and creates soothing environment
• equal balance of all the colors of the spectrum
• representing both the positive and negative aspects of all the colors.

Demerits
• include isolation, emptiness
• sense of inaccessibility
• eastern cultures, white is associated with grief and death

Warm colors

RED

ORANGE

➢ such as red, orange, and yellow YELLOW

➢ create a sense of warmth and energy in a space
➢ create a sense of drama or excitement
➢ cheerful, high spirited, expansive environment
➢ creates centrifugal action that directs attention outward
 Red
Merits
• arousing, exciting, stimulating
• passion, strength, activity
• attention
• dynamic interiors
• love, courage
• power, control

Demerits
• defuses all the colors
• linked to stress and anxiety
• Warning, Aggression, Rage
• signals danger
• raise metabolism and blood pressure
• creates centrifugal action that directs attention outward

Yellow
Merits
• joy, optimism and warmth
 • vivid and lively
• considered the most joyful color in the visible spectrum
• encourages concentration and alertness.
• beneficial impact on the nervous system, stimulates blood pressure,
the heart rate and breathing
• happiness, friendliness, and signifies competence

Demerits
• triggers fear
• Frailness
• Sickness
• cowardice

Orange
Merits
• a stimulating color
• the energy of red and cheerful qualities of yellow
• associated with the sun and refreshing fruits
• improves appetite, stimulates the heart and good for the treatment
for depression
• warmth, enthusiasm, and encouragement
• increase mental activity and acumen
 • Light shades of orange are considered welcoming

Demerits
• dark shades are identified with dishonesty
• Loneliness

cool colors

Blue

Green

Purple
 ➢ blue, green, and purple
➢ create a sense of calm and serenity in a space
➢ create a sense of elegance and sophistication.
➢ Centripetal action
➢ Encourages inward orientation
➢ Enhances ability to concentration

Blue

Merits
• color of harmony and peace
• low stress, low temperature, and low pulse rate
• Relaxing, retiring, cool effect
• Impressions of calmness, security,
 • comfort, knowledge, contemplation
• dignity, serenity
• symbol of faith, hope and loyalty
• impacts on calming the central nervous system
• reduces the pulse and blood pressure
• increases concentration.

Demerits
• cold, unemotional and unfriendly
• Sadness
• stimulates to stay awake
• darker tones of blue causes depressing feeling

Green

Merits
• color of nature, restful and refreshing
• Health, Compassion, Favor, Ambition, Passivity
• great healing power
• dominant color in hospitals interiors
 • Green light reduces pressure, expands capillaries, stimulates the
endocrine glands
• relieves insomnia
• Pale green is the most relaxing and calming color in the spectrum
• linked to prosperity, wealth, good fortune, and finances

Demerits
• greed
• jealousy
• Apathy
• lethargy

Purple
Merits

• mysterious color
• nobility, power, and royalty
• spirituality, sacredness, and gracefulness
• romance and delicateness
 • Violet light waves, impact the brain, purify and have a refreshing and
disinfectant effect
• regulates the metabolism and
• Indigo light waves fight against high fever and skin diseases

Demerits
• sorrow
• fear
• apprehensiveness
• suppresses hunger

Perception of space through colors

To provide the desired spatial experience, there are
elements which change the perception of a space without changing an inch
of wall. This can be done by

• painting surfaces
• using different materials
• or applying different coatings
• Lighter and cooler colors make the space appear larger.
• Darker colors make them appear more closed and smaller to the
eye.

The arrangement of colors or textures in an environment changes the

perspective, making the room appear taller, longer, wider, or highlighting a
particular element.
❖ Enlarge the Space

To create a feeling of spaciousness in an environment, the best

method is to use light colors, which will reflect natural light and
make surfaces appear larger to the eyes.

❖ Compact the Space

to make the room appear more compact, smaller, and cozier,
opting for stronger colors on wall surfaces can work well. They will
absorb most of the natural light, giving a feeling of enclosure that
can be beneficial for certain functions.
❖ Lower the Ceiling
There are times when lowering the height of the ceiling can make
the space more pleasant and provide a welcoming feeling. When
painting it in a darker color than the walls or leaving the material
 texture visible, this feature will give the impression that the ceiling
is lower.

❖ Stretch the Space

There are apartments whose lower ceilings give a claustrophobic feel to
the spaces. Painting the walls in a darker color and leaving the ceiling white
makes it feel like a higher ceiling.
 ❖ Make the Space Wider
Painting the back wall and the ceiling with the same darker colors
and leaving the side walls lighter will make the space appear wider and
more spacious. This is a technique widely used in corridors or narrow
rooms

❖ Narrow the Space

Painting the two opposing side walls dark colors and leaving the
background and the ceiling in light colors will make the space narrower to
the eyes, improving the proportions of rooms with unbalanced dimensions.

❖ Shorten the Space

If you have a very large space in your home and want it to feel more
intimate, invest in dark tones on the back wall in contrast to lighter colors
elsewhere.
 ❖ Highlight a Wall
To highlight a wall, it is recommended to keep it a lighter color while others
have a darker tint. This causes the eye to be drawn to it.
 ❖ Shorten the Walls
If the idea is to make the walls shorter, applying a darker shade to the
bottom of the wall will work

Topic Light and cool color Dark /warm color

Volume Increases apparent Decreases apparent

room size room size
Weight Less heavier Heavier

Temperature Lower than warm color Higher than cool color

Noise Less noisier Noisy and bothersome

Height Perceived higher Perceived lower

Spaciousness enhances decreases

IMPACT OF COLOR ON DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

For Children

3-6 age:

❖ attracted by warm colors

❖ red and yellow most

puberty age:

❖ attracted by cool colors

❖ blue and green most
❖ indicates maturity and calmness

classroom color palette example:

• beige,
• light green and
• blue

corridor: shades with beige along with green

Workplace for adults
“Where workplaces are concerned, simplicity is the keynote”
_Faber Biren
❖ aesthetically desirable
❖ physically desirable
❖ monotony reducer
❖ provide temporary rest
❖ relaxation of eyes
❖ employee productivity
❖ workplace wellbeing

Color palette:
Soft colors, which lack distraction, are modified in tone and get less dirty than
clean colors”
Example:
• white for ceilings
• softer like blue-green, light green, pink\coral, pale yellow, light gray,
stand stone, beige for walls
GENERA GAMA
Jakarta
Game developer office
Concept: playful atmosphere

Reception area

Color palette:

At the reception area,Ganera’s bright red logo stands out against the
pristine white backdrop
Collaborative Zone/shared space

Color pallete :

Next to the primary work area,highlighted by red couch and yellow painted
theme tree
Principle working area

Color palette:

Sitting space

bright colored furniture and carpeting enliven the office atmosphere while
infusing a touch of personality to the key space
Color palette:

Meeting room

One of the meeting rooms features a nature-inspired theme

Color palette:
Meeting room

Color palette:

cafe

Color palette:
For senior citizen

• Sense of security and harmony

• homely environment
• cognitive functions alive
• calming energy
• Reduces loneliness
• sense of calmness
• Spirituality

Color palette
• prefer soft pastels
• softer shades
• Softer shades of reds and oranges
• Peaches (unique mixture of orange, yellow, and white), apricot
color tant, terracotta’s, and pinks
• Shades of blue, lavenders and violets

peaches Apricot tant

Soft pastels

USE OF COLOR IN RESIDENTIAL SPACES

 ➢ Climate
• Cooler climates Warm colors
• Hot climate Cool tones

➢ Orientation of rooms
North-facing warm colors
South-facing cool colors

➢ Red
stimulating, but irritating and disturbing sensations
not suitable for bedrooms or rooms
Can be used in kitchen and dining room

➢ Yellow
optimism and a positive attitude
can be straining/welcoming
light hue
➢ Orange

must not be used for painting entire rooms

➢ Blue
clarity, order and calmness
useful for a study
good choice for the bedroom because it stimulates sensation of peace and
quiet.
lighter tones calming effect,
darker tones depressing feeling

➢ Green
similar effects
strongly related to nature
stronger calming effect

➢ Neutral colors
no intense psychological effect
used both in bedroom and living room, kitchen and bathroom.
flexible and adaptable

➢ Black
bold and dramatic interiors
effect of refinement and elegance.
USE OF COLOR IN NON-RESIDENTIAL SPACES

Hospitals
Blue, green, and purple, especially in cool muted hues and neutral colors
can be very calming. They’re great for hospital rooms, wards, waiting areas,
and wellness centers like spas
red is not recommended for patients
➢ anxiety and
➢ over-stimulation