Warm and cool colours make their mark

Colours can have quite an impact on your mood and thinking, so it's worth putting a bit of effort into decoding warm and cool colours - to get the right feel for different rooms. Some rooms work well with warmth, while others may need to have the temperature turned right down. 

The colours you choose for your interiors can have a dramatic affect on not only your emotional state, but your psychological and physical states as well.

For example, did you know that red can increase appetite and stimulate conversation? This is why, according to colour expert Robyn Cote of Inspired Interiors by Robyn Cote, it is not only a popular colour choice for fast-food outlets, but can also mean that a dinner party in a red dining room has a good chance of success. 

"There are a few things to consider when selecting colour schemes, including the style and location of your home," she says. "You need to consider the aspect of the house and each room, the quantity of natural light, your personal preferences and if you are working with existing furnishings or getting new ones."

Warm colours

Warm colour schemes are usually associated with sunshine and firelight and are generally derived from the warm side of the colour wheel, which according to Robyn can make a space feel welcoming and reassuring. 

"It is said that 'warm colours advance', so they can appear to make a room smaller and cosier," she says. "Warm tones tend to work well in dining rooms, libraries or reading rooms, the lounge and maybe the master bedroom. However, if your room faces north or west, warm colours may actually make you feel hot and uncomfortable."
 
Robyn points out that warm colours are not just red, orange and yellow. "Classic neutrals with warm-colour undertones on the walls will still provide a feeling of warmth," she says. "Colours from the warm side of the colour wheel can also be muted by adding grey or black to create mustard, russet and rich berry hues so the effect is a little more subtle and grounded."

Cool colours

When it comes to turning the temperature down, Robyn says cool colour schemes definitely have their place. "Blues and greens can have the effect of making you feel cooler and calmer," she says. "You may feel that a room is larger, as cool colours tend to recede. However, as with warm colours, placement is important. In a south-facing room, the feeling created may actually be quite bleak."

Robyn says that as blues and greens have been proved to lower blood pressure and reduce respiratory rates, bedrooms and study areas can often be the perfect choice for cool colour schemes. 

"With the current trend of making our bathrooms more spa like, cool colours would be perfect in these areas too," says Robyn. "I'd recommend keeping blues out of the kitchen, though. Blue is not a colour that relates to food at all. In fact, if you were to be served food on a blue plate, you may actually have less desire for it."

To find out how warm and cool colours can work effectively in your living spaces, find a painter in your area: