The Psychology of Color in Interior Design

Interior paint colors and brushes

Colors can make us feel different emotions, so when we walk into a room, the colors it’s designed with will impact us. So, what effects can the colors of interior design have?

How Does Color Psychology Affect Interior Design?

Color influences our daily lives without us realizing it. The psychology of color shows us that some colors make us excited or hungry while others make us feel relaxed. So, choosing colors for a room design could affect how people feel when they walk into that room.

For example, you will likely want to use colors that feel relaxing and comfortable in bedrooms. In social spaces, like the living room or dining room, you might want to use more lively colors. In your own home, it’s up to you how you want guests to feel, but many businesses will take color psychology into account to attract customers.

Yet, the psychology of color can differ for each person. One person might feel comfortable around a color while someone else may find that color depressing. You’ll also need to consider how color combinations affect emotions.

Effects of Each Color

If you’re looking to do some interior designing, look into what each color means before proceeding. Choosing colors carefully can help your room give off the vibes you’re hoping for.

Red

Interior design with red walls

Red is a vibrant color that’s likely to gain some attention. It means energy, action, strength, and passion. It’s also a color of desire and love. It can be overwhelming as the main color in a room, but it can add great accents to some designs.

Since red is never a boring color, it’s best for rooms that have lots of energy, such as the main rooms of the house where people will hang out often. Having it in a relaxing room may make it harder for people to stay calm. However, some people use red in bedroom designs if they’re going for a romantic approach.

Sometimes, red can trigger an appetite. That’s why it’s often used at restaurants and in fast food logos. Thus, you may want to consider using it in your kitchen. Avoid using red too often in a home design because it can become overwhelming, especially since some people associate it with anger.

When pairing red with other colors, it’s best to use neutral colors like brown and white to help tone it down. Other warm colors can go well with it, but they may add too much energy to the design. If you want to contrast the red, you can use green, which is its complementary color.

Emotions Red Might Evoke:

  • Passion
  • Power
  • Strength
  • Energy
  • Excitement
  • Hunger
  • Anger

Colors to Pair with Red:

  • White
  • Brown
  • Gray
  • Black
  • Pink
  • Green

Here are 40+ colors that go well with red.

Orange

Orange interior design with a view over the forest

Like red, orange is a bright color that can overpower a room. It’s a sign of enthusiasm, optimism, emotion, and youth. Most people see it as vibrant and exciting, which is why it might be used at social places like restaurants and arcades.

Since orange is also a color related to sunshine, it can evoke joy and excitement. In some cases, it could lead to hunger. So, if you use it in your home, you should use it similarly to red. It’s great for rooms that people gather in, but it might be too distracting for a bedroom or bathroom.

Orange can also be a tropical or autumn color. If you need to decorate your home for Halloween or a summer party, orange can help bring the design to life. It can also be a great color for an art room, office, or playroom since it sparks creativity.

Since orange is so vibrant, it’s the most soothing when it’s used with neutral colors in interior design, such as brown and white. Pastel versions of warm colors, such as yellow and pink, can add to the excitement. If you’re looking for some contrast, black or blue should do the trick.

Emotions Orange Might Evoke:

  • Joy
  • Excitement
  • Passion
  • Success
  • Energy
  • Creativity
  • Hunger

Colors to Pair with Orange:

  • Brown
  • White
  • Black
  • Yellow
  • Pink
  • Blue
  • Green

Here are 40+ colors that go well with orange.

Yellow

Yellow office space inspiration

Yellow is a color associated with joy and happiness. It can be bright and overwhelming in interior design, but pastel versions or pops of yellow can make designs more interesting. In general, the color yellow symbolizes happiness, optimism, positivity, and intellect.

Most types of yellow evoke positive emotions, such as cheer, care, and intelligence. Since it’s a vibrant color, it also helps people feel energized. In some cases, dull yellow can be seen as a sign of sickness, jealousy, or caution.

Like other warm colors, yellow is best used in small doses in room designs. Hints of yellow, such as a painting or decorative pillow can provide some exciting contrast. The best rooms to use yellow in are the ones that are for social gatherings rather than relaxing areas. Fast food places sometimes pair yellow with red because the combination encourages an appetite.

Yellow goes well with darker colors, such as gray, brown, or navy. White can also tone down this vibrant hue. If you’re trying to give off a fun, tropical vibe, you can use other warm colors like orange and pink.

Emotions Yellow Might Evoke:

  • Happiness
  • Intelligence
  • Excitement
  • Optimism
  • Freshness
  • Jealousy
  • Caution

Colors to Pair with Yellow:

  • White
  • Brown
  • Gray
  • Blue
  • Pink
  • Orange

Here are 40+ colors that go well with yellow.

Green

Green room design with white couch

Green is one of the most versatile colors in designs. If you want bright, vibrant hues, light green can do the trick. If you want a more calming shade, you can go for dark green or blue-green. Overall, green is a color of growth, harmony, health, and safety.

The color green is most commonly associated with nature, and it’s seen all around us. We often relate nature to peace, calmness, and security. When we surround ourselves with this color, we often feel healthy both physically and mentally. While green is mostly positive, shades are sometimes associated with greed or jealousy.

Green can be used in nearly any room, depending on the colors you use with it. Darker green can be used in calming rooms like bedrooms and bathrooms. More vibrant types of green can work well in the main areas, especially if they’re used as small pops of color here and there.

Using more than one type of green in a design can make it interesting as if the room is one with nature. Neutral colors, such as brown, black, gray, and white, also look good with green while maintaining the natural feel. Colors near green on the color wheel, such as blue and yellow, can give the design some playful energy.

Emotions Green Might Evoke:

  • Health
  • Safety
  • Peace
  • Hope
  • Relaxation
  • Greed

Colors to Pair with Green:

  • Brown
  • White
  • Gray
  • Black
  • Blue
  • Yellow

Here are 40+ colors that go well with green.

Blue

Blue and white children's bedroom

Blue is considered the most calming color in interior design. Blue is a symbol of security, trust, loyalty, and responsibility. If you prefer to relax at home instead of hosting big gatherings, blue can work well for most of your rooms.

The color blue can help calm your mind. It’s often used in bathrooms and bedrooms to provide a tranquil experience. Blue rarely evokes negative feelings when used properly. The only concern is that too much blue in one room could make guests feel depressed. Too much dark blue could give off eerie vibes.

This is a great color to use in any area where you want to relax. If you don’t have people over often, you can even think about making some of your main areas blue, such as the living room. The only areas you might want to avoid using blue in are office spaces and exercise areas since it could decrease productivity.

Using a variety of blues can make a design more interesting. Blue is most commonly paired with white since it provides a peaceful contrast. Some other colors that go well with blue include brown, gray, yellow, green, and purple.

Emotions Blue Might Evoke:

  • Calmness
  • Security
  • Wisdom
  • Health
  • Elegance
  • Sadness

Colors to Pair with Blue:

  • White
  • Brown
  • Gray
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • Purple

Here are 40+ colors that go well with blue.

Purple

Luxurious purple bedroom design

Purple is a unique, elegant color. It symbolizes royalty, mystery, spirituality, and imagination. People of all ages are drawn to this color because it’s beautiful and can evoke a variety of feelings.

Bright purple can promote creativity while dark purple is seen as regal and sophisticated. Most people who use purple in interior design are looking for something unique. Before you use it in a design, you’ll need to think about how the color makes you feel. It’s rare for anyone to feel negative when looking at a purple room.

Tints of purple go best in creative spaces like kids’ rooms, walk-in closets, and art studios. Shades of purple are ideal for relaxing spaces like bedrooms and theater rooms. Nearly any room can use some purple in it to give it a special touch.

When purple is paired with light colors like white, pink, and turquoise or teal, it feels whimsical. If it’s used with dark colors like gray, blue, or red, it can seem more mature. If you want to provide some contrast, you can use gold.

Emotions Purple Might Evoke:

  • Luxury
  • Creativity
  • Excitement
  • Calmness
  • Mystery
  • Drama

Colors to Pair with Purple:

  • White
  • Pink
  • Teal
  • Gold
  • Blue
  • Gray
  • Red

Here are 40+ colors that go well with purple.

Pink

Pink room design with furniture in light sand colors

Pink is often seen as a feminine color, but it’s much more versatile than just that. It’s also a symbol of compassion, love, and playfulness. It’s one of the colors that stand out the most, so it’s often used in areas that are meant to evoke excitement.

It can create emotions related to sweetness, romance, comfort, and cleanliness. Thus, it could be used to decorate a candy shop or romantic destination. It’s a common color for Valentine’s decorations.

In a home, pink is not too common. If it’s used, it’s usually a pastel version or only used as hints of color here and there. It may be used in a playroom, sunroom, or art studio because it goes well with fun and creativity. Themed kids’ rooms are sometimes pink, but pink isn’t an ideal bedroom color because of its energy.

Some colors that can be paired with pink are white, beige, brown, green, and blue. Using neutral colors with pink is the best way to tone it down so it’s not too overwhelming.

Emotions Pink Might Evoke:

  • Compassion
  • Love
  • Sweetness
  • Comfort
  • Creativity
  • Fun
  • Romance
  • Cleanliness
  • Glamour

Colors to Pair with Pink:

  • White
  • Beige
  • Brown
  • Green
  • Blue

Here are 40+ colors that go well with pink.

White

White kitchen design with dark wooden floors

White is a great color for interior design because it goes with just about everything. Most room designs have some white in them, but using too much white can be bland. Using the right amount of white can reflect cleanliness, purity, innocence, and perfection.

White is seen as calming and peaceful because it’s easy on the eyes. It’s like a blank canvas that welcomes a variety of design options. White can help make a space feel more open, and it can be refreshing and modern. However, surrounding yourself with too much white for too long could be unsettling because it lacks creativity and excitement.

You can use white in any room of your house, especially in simple areas like the bathroom. Wherever you use it, make sure you don’t only use white. Pair it with other colors to keep guests calm without them growing bored by the simple decorations.

Any colors can go well with white in the right context, but a few to consider are green, brown, blue, purple, gray, and pink.

Emotions White Might Evoke:

  • Peace
  • Cleanliness
  • Control
  • Innocence
  • Elegance
  • Calmness
  • Uneasiness

Colors to Pair with White:

  • Green
  • Blue
  • Brown
  • Purple
  • Gray
  • Pink

Here are 40+ colors that go well with white.

Black

Elegant large black room with big windows

While white can be used in large quantities in any room, black should be used more sparingly. It stands out and can easily overpower colors, making the room’s vibes darker than intended. Black is a symbol of protection, power, elegance, and sophistication.

In interior design, black is a modern, bold, and stylish color. Yet, it can also come across as gloomy if used too much. So, rather than using it as a color to paint your walls with, you can use it in furniture to help accent the other decorations in the room.

Since black is so dark, it’s not ideal for rooms with lots of action and excitement. It’s better for rooms where people will sleep or lounge, such as a bedroom or theater room, because those areas are known for being dark.

Other dark colors will get lost in a black design, so it’s best to contrast black with lighter or more vibrant colors. White, tan, red, green, yellow, and pink are all colors to consider.

Emotions Black Might Evoke:

  • Power
  • Elegance
  • Sophistication
  • Relaxation
  • Intimidation
  • Depression

Colors to Pair with Black:

  • White
  • Tan
  • Red
  • Green
  • Yellow
  • Pink

Here are 40+ colors that go well with black.

Gray

Gray and white room design

Like white, gray is another neutral color that goes with almost everything. It can symbolize compromise, control, neutrality, and practicality. So, while it’s an easy color to design with, too much gray can be seen as dull or depressing.

There are many mixed feelings about gray. Some see it as modern, elegant, and stylish, but others believe it lacks creativity. A great way to use gray without it seeming boring is to use it to neutralize other colors. So, if you have a mostly gray room, you can make it interesting by adding bits of bright colors.

Unless it’s paired with exciting colors, gray isn’t ideal for the main areas of the house. It’s best for simple rooms, such as a bedroom or bathroom, because it doesn’t evoke many strong emotions. Gray works best in a room with lots of natural light to help it feel more uplifting and welcoming.

Gray can look great with other simple colors like white and brown. Those combinations can keep a room calming. However, if you want to mix it up and make a space more exciting, consider vibrant colors like yellow, green, pink, purple, or blue.

Emotions Gray Might Evoke:

  • Balance
  • Seriousness
  • Control
  • Elegance
  • Depression
  • Gloominess

Colors to Pair with Gray:

  • White
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • Brown
  • Pink
  • Blue
  • Purple

Here are 40+ colors that go well with gray.

Brown

Brown living room with wood tones

Finally, brown is another color that’s common in designs because it’s neutral. It’s a symbol of reliability, stability, honesty, and comfort. So, it’s a safe, cozy color to include in a room design.

Brown is a color commonly found in nature, so it’s familiar to us. Using it in interior design can make a space feel calm and rustic. Yet, like similar colors, it can be boring if it’s used excessively. It can be warm, elegant, and modern, but too much might make the room lack creativity and joy.

Brown rooms can make people feel relaxed, so avoid using brown in rooms you’d like to be productive in unless you’re going to use it with energizing colors. It works well in nature designs, so you might want to choose brown furniture for a room that has lots of plants in it.

In a relaxing design, brown is most commonly paired with white and other shades of brown. For people looking to add more excitement to a room, vibrant colors like yellow, red, pink, and green might liven the space up.

Emotions Brown Might Evoke:

  • Safety
  • Comfort
  • Strength
  • Determination
  • Warmth
  • Sadness
  • Loneliness

Colors to Pair with Brown:

  • White
  • Yellow
  • Pink
  • Red
  • Blue
  • Green

Here are 40+ colors that go well with brown.

Colors That Go with Specific Shades

Now you know what colors to pair with basic hues, but if you have specific shades in mind, here’s a list of colors that go well with them:

Designing with Certain Colors

Choosing colors for interior design is more complex than meets the eye. Not only do you need to consider which colors you like and which colors go together, but you also need to consider how those patterns will make you feel. Warm, vibrant colors can make you feel energized and excited, while cool and neutral colors are better for relaxing. Keep these color meanings in mind if you ever need to design a space.