Feeling warm and feeling cozy often go hand-in-hand. Since warm colors like red, orange, and yellow can often evoke warm feelings, it makes sense that they’d be comfortable colors too.
However, there are instances where warm colors might evoke the opposite. Sometimes, these colors can cause stress or discomfort. What makes warm colors lose their coziness? And why don’t colors always evoke the same feelings? Let’s find out!
What Makes Warm Colors Cozy?
Most people agree that warm colors like red, orange, and yellow are cozy. After all, they’re called warm colors because they evoke feelings of warmth, and when we’re warm, we’re usually comfortable too. These colors are often associated with things that feel warm, such as fire and the sun.
Warm colors are thought of as cozy because these hues can mimic cozy environments, such as the glow of candlelight, the feeling of gathering around a fireplace, or the memory of watching the sun rise or set. Since our brains usually make these associations, we naturally feel cozy and warm as a result. We typically feel the coziest when several warm colors are paired together.
Plus, warm colors are full of energy, making people feel motivated, optimistic, and passionate. When you’re filled with positive, action-packed emotions, it’s naturally easier to feel warm and comfortable.
Of course, everyone thinks differently when it comes to color associations. One person’s perspective could also change in different contexts. So, while warm colors are usually cozy, there are plenty of instances where they might not feel that way.
Why Aren’t Warm Colors Always Cozy?
Every color has multiple meanings depending on the perspective and context. While warm colors sound welcoming and comforting, they can have negative effects, just like any color.
The best example is if they’re used in an overwhelming way. If they’re too bright, such as neon yellow or fire engine red, they could make people too alert to feel cozy. Since these colors have so much energy, they can also cause stress if used in large amounts. For example, a few warm colors in a fireplace are soothing, but a room covered in orange walls can be a bit much for most people.
Warm colors only feel cozy when used in proper amounts. Using more of them doesn’t automatically provide more coziness. If anything, it drives people away from feeling snug. If these hues are overpowering, they can do more harm than good.
What Are Some Negative Feelings Associated With Warm Colors?
While many people view red, orange, and yellow with positivity, others dislike them. Perceptions of these colors can vary depending on the context, but each has certain common negative associations.
Red
Red is a passionate color that can remind you of the comfort of a warm home, but it’s also a bold color that can easily overpower other hues. When used in large amounts, it could be linked to anger, danger, revenge, and aggression. If someone is exposed to too much bright red at once, they’re more likely to feel these upsetting emotions instead of feeling at ease.
Orange
Orange is the color of a warm fire, which could remind people of sitting around a campfire or huddling around the fireplace. Yet, like red, orange is bold and full of energy. It’s not a color you see in large amounts often, likely because that much energy at once can be overwhelming. Exposure to too much orange could lead to arrogance, rudeness, and impatience. Rather than feeling relaxed by this warm hue, excessive orange can make people frustrated and restless.
Yellow
Yellow is a bright, cheery color that resembles the sun, so a hint of yellow can add comfort to any room. However, yellow can be very bright to the point where it feels blinding to look at when used in large amounts. When exposed to too much yellow, people could feel cautious, nervous, ill, or deceptive. Soft or pastel yellows can provide plenty of comfort, but high-intensity yellows can bring out some of our worst traits.
How to Use Warm Colors to Create a Cozy Atmosphere
Most people would prefer to feel cozy over experiencing the negative emotions that warm colors can sometimes hold. So, is there a way to accentuate the warm, fuzzy feelings of red, orange, and yellow? The following tips will help you amplify their positive effects.
Decorate With Muted or Deeper Warm Colors
The best way to bring out the comfort of warm hues is to steer clear of the brightest versions of those colors. Instead, turn toward the softer and less saturated versions. Instead of bright orange, consider peach or burnt orange. Instead of scarlet red, stick to burgundy or crimson. Rather than a sunny yellow, what about gold or mustard?
If you’re someone who loves all things colorful, you can try warm pastel colors. A mix of pastel yellow, orange, and red can make a space colorful while still toning those colors down. So, you can appreciate the energy of these colors without them being too bright and overwhelming.
These alternate versions of warm colors might not be as fun and exciting, but they can offer the same positive effects without being in your face. Having these muted hues decorating a room is sure to make it feel cozier.
Include Warm Browns
When people think of warm and cool colors, neutral colors are often forgotten. That’s because, depending on their undertones, they could fall into different categories. Brown is generally considered a warm color. If it has more red or yellow in it than blue, it gives off warm feelings, just like red, orange, and yellow do.
Using brown to your advantage can help make spaces feel cozier. Warm browns can evoke comfort while still being a neutral color that’s easy on the eyes. Plus, brown pairs well with just about any color. So, even if you have a design with mostly cool colors, adding warm browns can make people feel more at home.
Provide an Ideal Color Balance
Just because warm colors can provide comfort doesn’t mean you have to use only warm colors. The best designs include a balance of both so you can experience the benefits of both warm and cool hues. If the main color in a room is warm, use bits of cool colors and neutral colors to complement it. This can help balance out the warm color and make it less overwhelming.
Of course, when choosing a balance of colors, make sure you’re selecting ones that look good together. If you use a bunch of random warm and cool colors, it could look chaotic and make people feel uncomfortable instead of cozy. So, consider analogous colors, complementary colors, and monochromatic colors to help you create an aesthetically pleasing design that also evokes comfort.
Take Advantage of Cozy Textures
Context is important for how warm and cool colors make us feel. So, if the warm colors are on comforting textures, it could enhance feelings of coziness. Faux fur exteriors, wooden surfaces, and velvet fabrics are just a few examples of comfortable textures. In general, soft and natural textures tend to create a comforting environment for most people. You can use those to your advantage when trying to evoke the coziness of warm colors.
Use Warm Lighting
Lighting plays a role in the colors of a space. Warm lights typically have a hint of yellow or orange as opposed to blue. Warm lights can fill a space with warm colors even if the rest of the room’s colors are cool or neutral. It’s a great way to set a comforting mood without having to alter the existing colors. Candles or a fireplace are especially great at providing warm lighting because they not only look comforting but also feel warm.
Can Cool Colors Feel Cozy?
Cool colors give off feelings of coolness, which might sound like the opposite of cozy. If you’re feeling cool or cold, you’re probably not as comfortable as possible. However, cool colors like blue, green, and purple are often associated with calmness and relaxation, which are feelings you want to experience while being snug.
So, like warm colors, context is crucial. Large amounts of cool colors can make people feel cold and uncomfortable, but small amounts could provide the soothing qualities needed for maximum coziness.
The best way to make cool colors cozy is to pair them with warm colors. If a room that’s decorated with mostly cool tones has warm tone accents, that could make the overall space feel more inviting. You could also use shades that are a mix of warm and cool colors, such as red-violet or yellow-green, to experience the positive effects of both.
Just remember to consider your surroundings. If you’re outside on a frigid winter day, no amount of blue or green will make you feel cozier. Yet, if you’re curled up under a fuzzy blanket in your living room, cool colors could provide relaxation. So, while warm hues are traditionally associated with comfort, all colors can be either cozy or uncomfortable, depending on how they’re used.
