Throughout history, people have known and harnessed the power of color. Color can influence behavior, trigger emotional responses, and some believe color has the power to heal. It is undeniable that color has had an enormous influence on the development of humanity.
Early civilizations used color much as we do today. Roman emperors wore the “Toga Picta” (a royal purple toga with gold embroidery) as a means of indicating their status, Celtic tribes used the peppermint plant to produce a deep blue dye that they wore all over their bodies before going to the battle and most Surprisingly, Indian tailors are recorded as using many different colors of dye to produce patterned cotton as early as 330 B.C.
Since color is so important to our daily lives, it’s only natural that we want our homes to be the color we like. You may be surprised to learn that the average person will spend more than 2 years in their bathroom in their lifetime, so it is only natural that we spend an appropriate amount of time to make sure that the colors we use to decorate it complement how we want our bathroom to look and feel.
color temperature
Everyone knows the association of colors with emotions, such as red for passion, blue for tranquility and green for peace, but did you also know that colors have an associated temperature?
- Reds, oranges and yellows, the colors of the blazing sun, are warm.
- The blues, greens and purples, the colors of the grass, the sea and the sky, are great.
- Blacks, browns, greys, silvers and whites, the colors of the floor, are neutral.
Warm colors make a room seem smaller and cozier and objects seem larger and heavier. Time seems to pass faster in warm spaces, and warm colors and earth tones promote and maintain body heat. Warm colors are a great way to revitalize the body if your job involves a lot of physical activity.
Cool colors make a room appear larger and more spacious and objects appear smaller and lighter. Time seems to pass more slowly in cool spaces. Cool colors are more conducive to mental activities and “muffle” sound effects. Cool colors are effective in stimulating the body and mind to relax and unwind, and are suitable for those who have jobs that require intense concentration for long periods of time.
Neutral colors, as the name suggests, are not considered especially warm or cool. Neutral colors are highly dependent on the colors around them and tend to reflect the attributes of those colors rather than possess their own. Neutral colors are considered calm and calming, and ideal for those with extremely stressful occupations!
natural expectations
We may be several thousand years away from those who lived outdoors all their lives and never knew a town or a city, but the human brain is still conditioned after all this time to expect the darkest colors at our feet, colors mid-range at eye level. and the lighter colors far above us.
Some people like to take advantage of this ancestral evocation in their bathrooms to give the impression of bathing outdoors, using ceramic floors in earth tones, painting the lower halves of the walls green and the upper halves and the ceiling in different shades. blue. . To complete the experience, plants are often placed around the room and some people even have relaxing music playing in the background.
Make the color work for you
However, regardless of your choice of bathroom colors, it is strongly recommended that you use at least three but no more than six separate colors to decorate. Of these, one should be the lightest, another should be designated as the accent, and the other colors should be somewhere in between. The accent color should be the brightest or darkest of all the colors chosen and used in at least three different positions within the room.
Most of the bathroom should be decorated in the lightest color. Medium colors should be used in secondary areas, such as shower curtains, blinds, and mirror frames, leaving the accent color to be used on items like towels, rugs, soap dishes, and other small but important bathroom accessories.
For a small bathroom, a popular alternative is to tile three walls in white or very light colors and paint the fourth wall in a bold, contrasting color. White tiles will take shades of this color and project them giving the illusion of depth and making the whole room appear larger and less plain.
apply emphasis
If you’re really proud of a certain feature in your bathroom and want attention to naturally draw to it, here are some tricks you can use to achieve this effect:
To emphasize the floor, color it darker than the walls or ceiling.
A tray ceiling is an attractive way to add depth and break up a common flat ceiling line, and it can be inverted or recessed. Pick a color and use a darker shade on the tray and a lighter shade on the rest of the ceiling. This will naturally draw the eye upwards.
Add a decorative border along baseboards or along the top sides of walls to draw attention in those directions.
Remember to make sure to buy and use special paint for bathrooms, designed with a high tolerance to humidity. The shinier the paint, the more light will reflect off the surface of the walls, and your bathroom will look brighter and more cheerful!
Say goodbye to mess!
There is nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in your own bathroom. You could have the most calming colors in the world, but if your bathroom is cluttered or feels cluttered, you’ll be missing out on the effect you’re going for. However, there are a number of simple and inexpensive steps you can take to deal with this problem.
Painting bathroom cabinets white makes it look like it takes up less space, making a small room appear larger than it actually is. Painting furniture in dark colors will naturally have the opposite effect, and it’s a possibility when you have a large bathroom with lots of light.
Adding additional lighting can open up the look of your bathroom. Wall sconces are very affordable and will add warmth and depth to your room. If you’re looking to spend a little more on your bathroom, you can install fluorescent tube lights, install larger windows, or even add a skylight.
Last but not least, an increasingly popular step many designers are taking is to install one large or several small mirrors over the bathroom sink. Mirrors reflect light from the room, picking up subtle shadows, tones and patterns and projecting them throughout the room, making it appear larger and more colourful. For even more depth, install two full-length mirrors on opposite walls, facing each other. You will be surprised with the results!
taking the last step
While adding color to a room is the cheapest and easiest way to drastically change its appearance, reactions to color are personal to each individual. What relaxes one person can get on the nerves of another. Ultimately, it all comes down to a combination of past experiences, emotional associations, and personal preferences. If it “feels” right, then go with your gut and do it!