Cool Colors. Warm Colors

"You too, can create a calm, relaxing atmosphere with cool color schemes, or an inviting one with warm colors."

Well, you're looking for the perfect paint color to put it on your walls. You've heard the terms warm and cool but you're not sure what colors are refered to as warm and cool...

Warm colors are the ones that are bold and energetic; they range from yellow to red, going through orange, while cool colors range from green to blue and violet. Yellow-green is considered a warm color while green-blue is a cool one.

Both warm and cool colors have a strong impact on our mood, influencing it strongly. Warmth, coziness are inspired by a deep red. Orange gives us a boost of energy, while yellow created a vivid atmosphere.

Blue is calming, green is crisp, while violet is opulent and rich.

Decor Schemes with Cool Colors

If you take a look at the color wheel chart, you will notice that half of it is comprised of cooler colors; these colors generally appear to recede. So if you want a room to appear larger, you might want to use cool, receding interior colors such as blues, violets and greens.

Intense cool colors are dramatic and fresh: from bright blue to rich purple and jade green.

In places where temperatures are high most of the year, pale coolness of pastels are used to counterbalance the heat from outside, creating a cool-down atmosphere. The use of cool shades and white will make rooms more comfortable.

A traditional favourite for the walls are pale blues or pale red-violets. Don't be afraid to use them if you want to tame the intense sun of a west facing room.

• For a contemporary look use lilac and lavender. They are derived from blue, so they will bring the room calm and freshness.
• A crisp and fresh look can be achieved with mint green and violet. Colors are perfect for a modern wall decor.
• Green(mint, aqua) ca be used in any setting being it traditional or contemporary, creating a sense of open air and space.
• A lower ceiling cen be optically heightened if paint colors used are cool ones.
• Cool shades used to paint a small narrow space, such as a long hallway, make the wall appear to recede, opening the space.
• Colors from the cool side of the color wheel work well most of the times in any setting, as long as those rooms get enough natural light, so there is balance between warm and cool.

Decor Schemes with Warm Colors

As you could see the color chart is divided in twoparts: cool colors and the other half with warm colors, like reds, oranges, peaches and yellows. This is based , of course, on people's perception of color and on the psychological effect it has on them.

Intense warm colors like a rich red, for example, will create an exiting feeling.

In places with a colder climate most of the year, warm colors are a popular choice for wall decor, creating a warmer and inviting atmosphere.

Research proves that people will actually feel warmer in a room with walls painted in shades of yellow, orange or red than in a aroom painted in blue or even white.

• For a contemporary look, use warm colors of terracotta and dark pink for the walls. This will create a cozy space, which looks great in any type of light: candlelight, sunlight or artificial one.
• If your room faces north, and it receives cold or little light, use sunny yellows, orange or gold.
• Warmer colors help masking the imperfections in a room, so its dimensions will appear more regular.
• If the ceiling is too high, paint it in a warmer shade than the other walls, so it will appear lower than it is in reality.
• Yellow and red are part of a classic warm palette. Complete the whole assembly with patterns or stripes for upholstery.
• If a room is long, paint the walls at their end a warmer shade than the sides; it will make them appear to move inwards. That's because warm colors have the effect to appear coming towards you, as opposed to cool colors.