Color is feng shui!
No doubt, colors have physical and objective effects. Observe! The so-called cool colors give depth, and a wall painted in this way will always appear further away than it really is. Conversely, the warm shades are close and enveloping. The use of one or the other is not by chance, because they influence the temperature, at least the sensation that one has of them. “Thus, a room in orange-red tones, specifies Anne Bugugnani, interior designer, can be felt as having 3 or 4 degrees more than a space in blue tones.”
Need warmth or want cool?
This power given to colors is not new. In Asia, they are an essential element of feng shui, an ancient discipline intended to live in harmony with its environment. There, they are classified according to yin or yang and associated with natural elements.
The yin colors are linked to the feminine, to welcome, to comfort and to gentleness, while the yang symbolize the masculine, strength, dynamism. “But we need both energies, avoiding any excess in one or the other to achieve balance,” explains Marla Ramirez, a specialist in feng shui.
Colors trigger subjective impressions, because no one perceives them the same way. This explains the personal inclinations and aversions. For fear of getting bored, we lack daring. But when the color is in harmony with our personality, that it expresses our aspirations, its influence is very positive.
3 architect tips
1. To emphasize lines and volumes, paint a wall that crosses the house, a circulation space or a stairwell in a bright color, marking the different levels. Very useful for delimiting spaces in a large open room.
2. To make the space larger, avoid combining too many colors. A terrace or balcony in the same shade as the living room will ensure continuity between interior and exterior, and give the feeling of an extension of the room.
3. To highlight an element, slice! Color gives identity and highlights what you want to show. To accentuate the uniqueness of an alcove or column, paint only this one. You can also enhance the view by painting the window frame.
Do you prefer warm colors?
Yellows, power and harmony
Feminine yin colors, yellow, ocher and their brown or taupe derivatives support, reassure and balance. Like the earth, of which they are the symbol, they are solid colors that take root, welcome, absorb tensions and offer a well-deserved rest. What to find wisdom! Yellow, the color of the sun, was that of Chinese emperors or princes. But lunar, it also symbolizes adultery, betrayal and depravity. And if the hue turns brown, it becomes a sign of degradation and materiality.
Where to use it?
Ocher, straw yellow and earth hues are perfect in a living room. Welcoming, they calm tensions, soothe stress, and harmonize yin and yang to make it a place of relaxation. Because television, often queen of this room, is a very yang element, a source of stimulation and excitement, which must be counterbalanced at all costs.
Reds, energy and warmth
Strong and powerful, red is yang and carries the energy of fire. It stirs up desires, passion, warmth. In Chinese tradition, it is associated with longevity and happiness. In Europe it is the fire that inspires and purifies, but associated with passion and excitement, it can be found to be provoking.
Where to use it?
Red can offer the best (optimism, energy, joy) as well as the worst (a feeling of oppression, aggression, fear) and the more daring will apply it over large areas. Are you hesitating? Choose a red currant rather than a carmine red. It is the ideal shade in entryways and stairs, as it raises the energy in the house. By touches (wall, cushion …), red energizes and warms the common rooms.
What about black?
Here is a very powerful color to be used with full knowledge of the facts: a room entirely or predominantly black will dramatize the actions that take place there like a case highlighting a jewel. So you have to have the temperament and the life that go with it. But in small touches (furniture, carpet, cushion), black, always spectacular if it is married to only one other color, exacerbates emotions.
Do you prefer cool colors?
Green, freshness and daring
Yang color, associated with the wood element, green activates the energy of growth, dynamism and health. In the European tradition, the color of the spring buds symbolizes hope and renewal. It has long been linked to the idea of change and evolution. Reassuring, green has refreshing and invigorating properties. Above all, it amplifies the space, gives grandeur. But it is also, when it is tinged with gray or blue, the reflection of mold. Better to use these variations sparingly!
Where to use it?
It is excellent for bedrooms, especially those of growing children, where it can be very lively. In those of the largest, pastel or aniseed tones will be more suitable. Do not hesitate to use green by touch (painting, cupboard doors, part of the wall, etc.) in the kitchen, but limit it in the living room, to avoid the excess yang energy released by the TV.
Blue, meditation and serenity
Yin, blue is linked to water, a symbol of wealth and prosperity. In all its nuances, (light, dark or deep), it is the color of the subconscious. It calms, eliminates tension and nourishes. Color of the sky, it promotes meditation, contemplation, spiritual life.
Where to use it?
Its soothing effect makes it particularly suitable for bedrooms and rest areas. Blue is obviously interesting in bathrooms, where it reinforces the place of water and accentuates the functional side of this room. If you want it more warm and original, forget about pastels and navy blue. Dare to use lagoon or turquoise blues to dream of overseas landscapes.
What about white?
Yang color, white represents metal. White and its multiple variations, off-white, eggshell, sand … are the most popular harmonies in interior design. Natural, close to our skin tone, they have the advantage of going well with everything. Avoid all white rooms or warm them with curtains or sheets in warm shades, more conducive to the development of the senses.
