Color’s Effects on Perception of Space

By Denise Turner

Color has the power to inspire, excite, heal, soothe, and even agitate. This is especially true in spaces where we live, work, learn and explore. 

So the importance of selecting the right color for your personal environment cannot be underestimated. 

Here are some important color perception facts to consider when selecting interior colors for every room in your house.

• Bright colors appear lighter in weight. In order from heavy to light, they are: red, blue, purple, orange, green, and yellow.

• Light objects appear larger against a dark background. Dark objects appear smaller against a light background. 

• A window frame and wall should be light so that it doesn’t contrast too much with the daylight. 

• Bright colors are overestimated in size. In descending order: yellow appears the largest, followed by white, red, green, blue, and black. 

• The wall opposite a window is typically preferably light. Otherwise it will absorb too much daylight. However, light windows may cause glare, if the appropriate window treatments are not installed. 

• If a red wall is placed next to a yellow wall, the yellow wall will appear greener than it actually is, due to the afterimage of the red: cyan. The blue afterimage of the yellow will cause the red to appear more purple. 

• Light colors and small patterns visually enlarge a space, whereas dark colors and large patterns make the space appear smaller. 

Source: Role of Color in Healthcare Environments, The Center for Health Care Design

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash