Dear Cristina,
I read somewhere that the colors I like tell a lot about my personality and that certain colors can affect my moods. Is it true that you can you tell what a person is like when you see the colors they paint their home? Can color change the way I feel?
J. Vigil
It’s certainly true that color, like music can encourage a particular mood or express an attitude. Don’t get carried away with the symbolic meanings of color just yet. Often a lackluster color scheme is the result of a lack of confidence or knowledge of the design world, not a commentary on one’s character.
If people choose colors with as much confidence as they choose their music, you’d definitely get more of a sense of who they are when you view the results. Far more people are confident about their taste in music that are sure of their color sense. Because of that, many people are afraid to experiment with paint colors and often will choose colors for their home that seem safe – These are usually colors that they think other people will approve.
It’s time for a change. It’s time to ask yourself – What is my color personality?
Doty Horn, the Director of Color at Benjamin Moore Company says, “The trend is going to the individualizing of the color palette so that the person choosing it has a sense of ownership. This is who I am. This is my personality.”
Just as we all don’t dance to the same tunes, paint colors don’t have the exact same effect on everyone. You may find that a color you love in one place doesn’t work at all in another location, whether that’s another room or another home. It’s the same thing that happens when a favorite album cut just doesn’t suit your mood at the moment, or you lose interest in it completely. As you change along with the world around you, so does your perception of color.
Josette Buisson, the Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Paints says“…conclusions (about color) are drawn from more subjective considerations, like the impact of technology on our life, our self-definition, and our relationships to one another.” She has developed a program for Pittsburgh Paints that links paint color choices to personality tendencies.
Though there is certainly scientific evidence that people in the same culture tend to share their response to certain colors, there are many exceptions. I love vibrant reds and use them in a variety of rooms in my home. Someone else may
experience red as over-stimulating and upsetting. Don’t take color advice verbatim.
Take a chance and experiment. Color is one of the most inexpensive design elements you can bring into your home. It is also the most powerful way you can express your personal home style.
So take time to discover which colors really grab you – not just the colors you think you “should” like. Peruse the websites of paint companies. Head to the store and collect paint chips of any paint color you’re interested in. When you have at least a few dozen samples, you’ll start to see a trend. Often you’ll surprise yourself when you see which colors you like.
Follow you heart and be brave with color. Whatever the result, when you surround yourself with your creative choices you will always feel energized and interested in your world.
Large Photo: These two pictures are from the same Hacienda-style home. For this formal yet friendly living room my clients chose wall paint colors in a subdued monochromatic palette of browns and golds. These wall colors express a calm and relaxed yet lush attitude. 
Read more of Cristina's articles at www.CristinaAcosta.com
Sources:
Benjamin Moore Company www.benjaminmoore.com
Pittsburgh Paint www.voiceofcolor.com
Article first published in Latina Style magazine
Read more of my Choosing Colors blog entries.
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Very informative article. I have your post bookmarked. Thanks.
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