It’s a long held notion that color can affect the senses, emotions and mood of the person they surround. Color palettes influence the ambiance of your home, what your guests feel and most importantly, how you feel. Turns out, there’s more to picking a palette than just choosing your favorite color. For years designers have used outside inspiration, personal experiences and cultural influence to plan themes and color groups for homes. What should you consider when painting your space?

The colors you choose should compliment your lifestyle. Someone who comes home to relax should steer clear of warm tones like red and orange. One should pick their palette by considering atmospheres they enjoy. Choosing cooler blue and green tones will evoke the feeling of the great outdoors and relaxation, or using contrasting colors will give a modern, contemporary feel.

Others choose their home colors based on experiences. Did your adventure in India last summer inspire you? Then you may want to use that experience to influence the décor of your home office or art studio. Childhood adventures or romantic excursions to the beach could inspire you using the soft tones of sea foam and sand to influence their bedrooms.

For every person who is energized by color, there is another who fears brights and should opt for a more neutral, relaxing color scheme. Neutral color palettes make a home look timeless, and are great for selling homes, but can also be bland and emotionless. It is important to mix in varying textures, such as leather and cashmere, or interesting furniture to add depth and interest to an otherwise monochromatic room.

The style of the home should also be considered when choosing a color palette. That modern red wall may not look quite right in a classically designed 1920’s home. Look out your windows for inspiration. The colors of nature in your area are often great options for adding splashes of color to a classic and neutral color palette.

Whatever path you take to creating your dream décor having a personal connection with your home will make it more enjoyable for years to come.

Blog and Photo via freshome