Color Psychology: The Joy and Pain of Yellow

Warm and luminous like sunlight, the right shade of yellow brings cheer to dreary rooms. Some bright yellows, however, cause people pain in interior design.

Imagine you're driving by a green field of grass, punctuated by yellow wild flowers. Your eye gets distracted by the yellow flowers and your brain forgets the peaceful green grass.

In an office, you easily find yellow legal pads. The reason: our eyes see yellow first, before other colors. As the most visible color, yellow grabs attention.

Like the sun, too much bright yellow hurts our eyes and agitates us. Brilliant yellows make our eyes tired. Therefore, like road workers use yellow flags for caution, you want to use yellow with caution.

Paint walls a pale yellow to mimic a sun-filled space and create a soothing feeling for the room's occupants. Choose soft creamy yellows, not dingy, dirty-looking yellows that make people nauseous.

In contrast, bright-yellow painted walls can cause feelings of turmoil and hostility. Use bright yellows sparingly, especially in high-anxiety spaces like kitchens. Naturally bright rooms that have been painted bright yellow over-stimulate some people and may bring about angry feelings. Babies cry more and adults lose their tempers more often when surrounded by bright yellow walls.

However, that very same dazzling yellow room may be just the perfect place on an overcast day in a cold climate. Small doses of bright yellows added with accessories add punch, catch the eye, and make rooms feel lively.

Like the color red, yellow speeds up our metabolism. This color psychology aspect makes yellow a good color for china or table-top accessories. There's nothing like a cup of coffee in a yellow mug to wake you up!

Think of the natural sunlight when you use yellow. Soft, warm rays feel good. Bright, hot rays feel painful. As with all interior design, balance using the color yellow ensures harmony. The color psychology beneath the color yellow helps you create a joyful home.

Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher - All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Jeanette Fisher helps home owners create homes for glorious living and top-dollar sales. Inspired by Mother Nature, Jeanette's eye for design is fueled by her love of the natural outdoors, light, and color. After researching the affects of the environment on emotions for over 15 years, she teaches Design Psychology college courses.

For more information on Design Psychology, see http://designpsych.com/

Free What is Design Psychology report and Joy to the Home Journal at http://www.joytothehome.com/

---

Persian Area Rugs - Tabriz Rugs are a Fine Choice to Enhance Your Room?s Décor

Tabriz rugs are made in the north western part of Iran. The quality in a Tabriz rug is exceptional. The look that a Tabriz rug adds to... Read More

Rug - Snug as a Bug!

Rugs are a great way to decoratively cover a floor. Whether you have carpet, tile or hardwood, a rug can protect your floor and add a designer's... Read More

The Importance of Home Air Filters

Many people are not aware that the air inside our homes is five times harmful than the air outside. Because of airtight home and office building constructions,... Read More

Wall Clocks Tell Time and Decorate!

Clocks can be of any type - they could be wall clocks that not only decorates the walls, but also tells time or a mantel piece resting... Read More

The Benefits of Dried Fruit Baskets

Usually combined with varieties of nuts, dried fruit baskets have become the second most popular version of the original fresh fruit basket today. According to growers and... Read More

Parsons Chairs: Dining in Elegance

What does your dream dining room look like? Is it rich in color and texture, romantic, cozy, warm, comfortable and inviting all at the same time? Would... Read More

A Look at Water Softener Systems

Do you ever feel like nothing you do when you clean works? Do you still feel dirty when you get out of the shower? Does your hair... Read More

An Upholstered Bench To Incorporate Style and Function

How do you envision your dream home? Is it rich in color and texture, romantic, cozy, warm, comfortable and inviting all at the same time? Would you... Read More

A Look at Picnic Gift Baskets

Picnic gift baskets are a great gift for just about anybody who likes the outdoors and who likes to eat. Most people enjoy the idea of picnicking,... Read More

Mission Style Lighting - Its Timeless Beauty Continues

If you ask most people to tell you about Mission Style lighting you are likely to be met with a blank stare and shrugged shoulders. But, if... Read More

A Guide to Duvet Covers

A duvet is a type of bedding, similar to a comforter. Duvets (pronounced do-vey) are very popular in Europe and are catching on in the rest of... Read More

Purchasing Framed Art For Your Home or Office - a Novel Way to Decorate

Framed art is an ideal compliment to any room of your home or office. Decorating an environment using framed artwork is quick, easy and is usually relatively... Read More

7 Feng Shui Fundamentals for Childrens Bedrooms

Feng shui is a very popular and intriguing concept in home design today. In addition to the life benefits it provides, it also offers a roadmap, so... Read More

Antiques, Collectibles, & Memorabilia: Do You Know the Difference?

The world of antiques can be confusing. What's the difference between an antique and collectible? Aren't collectibles and memorabilia really the same thing? In this month's column,... Read More

Discount Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans sell at a wide range of prices. They usually cost at least $100, and some models can cost more as $500. This may be too... Read More

Easy And Inexpensive Kitchen Decorating Tips

Small changes can have a big effect on how your kitchen looks. Below are 11 decorating ideas that you can do yourself in a day or less.... Read More

Incentives for Proper Home Theater Lighting

One of the most crucial elements to consider in building a home theater system is also one of the most over-looked. The lighting used in the room... Read More

Psychology of Color - Decorating a Kitchen for the Subconscious

Psychologists have studied the influence of color on the mind for years. While they have not found any effects that generalize to every society, they have found... Read More

Budget Decorating - What Is It?

Budget decorating. You see this phrase a lot but what does it mean? Does it mean the same thing to you that it does to me? Probably... Read More

Making Your Home Blossom is Easy

Having trouble getting a room in your home to have that certain charm you're looking for? Searching for that perfect painting, sculpture, or table lamp can often... Read More

The Art Of Home Decoration

If you would have your rooms interesting as well as beautiful, make them say something, give them a spinal column by keeping all ornamentation subservient to line.Before... Read More

Summertime Simplicity in Your Home Decorating

Here in the Northeast, summer is almost here. With hot humid weather approaching-it's already here in the southern part of the country-we can learn a few tricks... Read More

Granite Tile Countertops

The beauty and warmth of granite makes it an ideal material for aesthetic appeal in home design. Granite has been a popular choice of designers for decades.... Read More

Discount Bathroom Vanities

Discount bathroom vanities can be found in many places, some more unusual than others. You first must decide what discount means to you and how far your... Read More

Heirloom Decorating

I love to surround myself with things from the past. To me "heirloom" doesn't necessarily mean something really old, because memories are always in the making, and... Read More

Replacement Sofa Slipcovers Can Instantly Give Your Home A Fresh New Image

Giving you home an instant makeover can be as simple are replacing your sofa slipcovers. The beauty of furniture slipcovers is that they can be changed whenever... Read More