Analyzing Color

When we analyze why some color combinations may be more pleasant than others, it helps to understand rudimentary physics. When you shine white light through a prism, the beam separates into its components, and the spectrum of the rainbow is made visible. The colors are not in random order, they are in the order of the wavelength associated with each color. Violet is the shortest wave length a human can see, then blue is a tad longer, green a bit longer yet, so on and so forth until you get to red, which is the longest wavelength that our eye can see. Insects can see ultra violet and associate that very short wavelength with certain flowers that they like to feed from. This means that it would be a bad idea to use ultra violet colored paint or lighting if you have an insect problem. Some people like to use ultra violet for dancing or retro 60's decor, but bugs will be attracted to this.

Isac Newton noticed a circular relationship between the colors of the spectrum, and developed a color wheel. Three primary colors, (red, blue, and yellow) are equally spaced around the wheel. The combination in equal parts of any two primary colors creates a new color, called a secondary color. Red and yellow make orange. Red and blue make violet. Blue and yellow make green. The secondary colors (green, orange, and violet) are complimentary to which ever primary color did not go into making them up. For example, violet is made of red and blue, but not of yellow. Therefor, yellow is the complimentary color of violet. For the same reason, orange is the complimentary color of blue, and green is the complimentary color of red. Our eye tends to like to see these colors paired, because we unconsciously recognize the completion of the primary spectrum. Complimentary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel for easy reference.

By combining any secondary color with one of the original primary colors within it, so that 3/4 of the the new color is made of one primary color, and the remaining fourth is made of another primary color, you get a tertiary color. An example of this, is that green combined with yellow is lime green, which is actually 3/4 yellow and 1/4 blue.

By adding different amounts of black to a color, you get different shades of that color. By adding lots of white to a color, you get a paste: red turns pink, purple turns lilac, orange turns apricot, etc. By combining secondary colors with each other, you end up with brown or grey, or the combination of both, "taupe".

Neutral colors, are also helpful for relaxation and meditation. Neutral colors include, black, white, cream, off-white, ivory, nutmeg, camel, tan, sand, brown, silver, grey, charcoal, and taupe. From a physics point of view, black is really the absence of color and white is the combination of all color. However, in decor they both can work as "neutral colors". The more earth toned the neutral color is, the more relaxing it feels, because we are hardwired to feel at home on our own planet.

When you use colors that are close to each other on the color-wheel in your decor palette, you are using harmonious colors. This is more restful to the eye than high contrast, like juxtaposed primary colors. A harmonious decor is better for a bedroom, where you need to relax, where as a high contrast color scheme would be the right stimulation for a play room or maybe a kitchen.

A room decorated with a harmonious palette can also be referred to as monochromatic, because they are all variations of one primary color, or of black or white. An example of this would be using a spectrum of tones of grey, from the lightest pearl grey, to flannel grey, and then to charcoal grey. By playing with the addition of more black or more white to the mixture, you weaken or strengthen the intensity. Having multiple tones and shades of the same basic color, can keep a monochromatic room from looking flat. Layering different textures of the same color is also a good way to create depth in a monochromatic room.

Most people will use a few small accent colored objects in an otherwise monochromatic room. The exception helps to make the rule.