Generalizing Color for Interiors

Last week I was reminded of how many people are apt to make color generalizations. Usually this means they don’t need help with color, they can “fix” the room themselves easily! I overheard someone (a doctor) suggesting blue as the color of choice for painting the new physical therapy room at my chiropractor’s clinic. So this blog is about color generalizations and misconceptions!

Blue was suggested for the new room because of the generalization that “blue is soothing”. This is a perfect example of a color generalization that could potentially backfire in the physical therapy room. Before we get into that particular room, think about blue for a minute.

First of all, how many different shades of blue do you see throughout the day? The sky on a clear day is blue, the jeans you own might be blue; a friend may have blue eyes and possibly your cat or dog has blue eyes. What about the package of mints in your pocket or the toothpaste you use? The dishes you eat from might be turquoise blue Fiesta ware. The carton of skim milk in your refrigerator might have a blue label. Your favorite football team might have navy blue jerseys; the local police might be wearing navy blue uniforms. How many of these shades of blue are soothing to you? Some might be soothing, like the color of your dog’s eyes or the sky. But the toothpaste and mints could be more refreshing than soothing. The blues of the footballers and the police might seem more powerful than soothing. The point is that there are many shades of blue and the shade can affect the “meaning” or visual impression it gives.

What about other color generalizations? Yellow is sunny. Pink is girlish while blue is masculine and soothing. Navy is conservative and brown is earthy. Purple is mysterious and red is all about anger! White is pure while orange is for fast food restaurants. Green is restful and black is depressing. Generalizing the psychological effects of color will get you into trouble, just like generalizing people’s personalities down to stereotypes. Blue can be soothing if pale and soft. But it can also be dynamic and electric when it’s bright cobalt or ultramarine; conservative when it’s navy blue, and fresh and cooling when it’s aqua blue.

Let’s go back to the physical therapy room dilemma. Blue paint could be a good choice, if it’s the right blue. But before we decide blue is the color, consider what goes on in a physical therapy room: people doing exercises, a lot of activity at times and a lot of effort. Even a little bit of pain. Sometimes there are people resting with ice on their limbs. Still want soothing? Maybe you aren’t sure now! And consider this: the physical therapists at this particular office complain that it is too cold in there most of the time. Maybe the room isn’t insulated properly. So, is soothing blue the best choice? I would say no. But don’t paint the room orange either! Usually a balance is the best choice for a functional space such as the physical therapy room; something between active and passive, warm and cool, soothing and dynamic. It takes someone who knows color very well to change a space so that it is more functional rather than just attractive. So be wary of color generalizations and make sure you get color help when functionality is important to you!

PS: Currently, the physical therapy room is light orange or peach color and everyone dislikes it to the point of calling it “baby puke”. Stay tuned and find out what I recommend for a wall color…