
Our surroundings affect our emotions. It’s the reason interior designers exist. Without the influences of emotions, everyone would have the same furniture, kitchen, bathrooms, and paint colors.
Colors are the foundation of the mood-enhancing elements in interior design. Colors “make or break” the design aesthetic of a space. The “right” colors will make you happy, while the “wrong” colors will disappoint you. The colors around us can generate feelings of calm, happiness, and safety or feelings of fear, disgust, and sadness (among other emotions). We are drawn to certain colors and recoil from others. The reason for these reactions is based on our own personal experiences throughout our lives, including cultural associations and childhood memories.
We don’t often remember what triggers these responses. We just know what we feel when we look at a color. We know what we like and what we don’t like, but we’re not always sure of why. Having a trained professional to help you piece it all together is the best way to achieve your design goals.
How Warm Colors Can Affect Our Emotions
Warm colors include reds, oranges, yellows, and earthy tones like brown and beige. These will bring up feelings of coziness, comfort, intimacy, and excitement, or negative feelings such as agitation, fear, and distaste. This will depend on how much color is used (and in which decorative elements), as well as your own personal experiences with the color (as discussed above).
For those who like bold, warm colors, painting an entire room red, brown, or burnt orange will often be soothing and evoke feelings of comfort and safety. For those who oppose these colors, it will have the opposite effect, and those individuals might feel agitated or over-stimulated.
Warm colors are seen as energizing and stimulating. They are inherently social and can encourage communication and interaction. They can be particularly effective in spaces like living rooms, dining areas, and kitchens, where people tend to gather and socialize. Warm colors can influence our perception of temperature as well. Even in cooler spaces, using warm hues can create a psychological sense of warmth, making the environment feel more comfortable.
When using warm colors more sparingly, like in pillows or artwork, there’s less of a dramatic effect. Warm colors can easily be balanced by using cool tones.

How Cool Colors Can Affect Our Emotions
Cool colors include blues, greens, purples, grays, and most whites. These tend to have a calming and soothing effect on our emotions. Unlike warm colors, all individuals tend to have similar feelings when looking at cool tones. However, for those who prefer warm colors, too much blue, gray, or white tend to cause those individuals sadness or lack of motivation, while individuals who lean towards cool tones will feel refreshed, calm, or even invigorated.
Using cool tones in your surroundings will evoke feelings of calmness, serenity, and relaxation. These help lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety, making them ideal for bedrooms and spaces where relaxation is desired. Lighter shades of blue or using white tends to make a space feel open and airy. Darker shades of cool colors can create a more introspective atmosphere.
We’ll dive into these in more detail in the near future. Look for the “COLOR SERIES” posts to learn about individual color associations.


Reach Out: If you’d like to discuss your personal design or ask questions about this blog, please reach out to me. Amie Hazel | 508-507-8282 | amie@ahazelinteriors.com
Please Note: These are strictly my opinions based on knowledge accumulated throughout my years in the design industry. I am not being paid for any of these blog posts or any of the products I suggest.