Red, orange and yellow, plus mixtures of them create a feeling of heat. Red actually causes a physical reaction of warmth. Warm colours make items visually advance.
Blues, greens, blue-greens and generally other colours found in water and sky. Violet and purple are also considered cool colours. Cool colours create a feeling of lower temperatures; they are relaxing and visually recede.
Colour selection and approval should be made under lighting conditions that closely duplicate those of the area to be painted during the periods of maximum usage. Lighting conditions in a store are usually very different from our homes. Ask yourself the question - what time of the day will this room be used the most?
Daylight entering a room is a consideration in colour selection. The less natural daylight that is likely to be present, the brighter and lighter the colour could be. Conversely, the brighter the room, the darker the value and greyer the colour could be to counteract any excessive brightness. As daylight fades into twilight another phenomenon occurs. The darker colours of the spectrum seem to lighten and lighter colours seem to darken.
Incandescent light will enhance reds, oranges and yellows. Be aware that even grays or other colours modified with red for a warmer feeling will look quite different under incandescent lighting than under fluorescent lighting or even sunlight. The grey may not show any red colour to the eye, but the warm feeling will be emphasized.
Fluorescent light is most often used in commercial settings and in areas of the home where good overall lighting is required. Although there are many different types of fluorescent lights, the one most commonly used lacks the warm colours of the spectrum. They tend to enhance only the blues and greens and render reds, oranges and yellows dull. If using fluorescent lights in the home choose 'full spectrum' or daylight varieties, which help to enhance all colours.
Did you know that paint colour can actually alter the dimensions of a room?
Well, it can't literally do that. But it can alter how the dimensions are perceived, which is the next best thing.
A light-coloured paint will make a small room appear bigger and darker shades will make a large room seem more intimate.
Ceiling too low? Just 'raise' it by using a light coloured paint on the ceiling.
Ceilings too high? 'Lower' them by painting it a dark colour.
Room too narrow and long? Just 'widen' it by painting the shorter walls a deeper colour than the longer walls.
