Create the mood

When we think of painting the house the first thing that comes to mind is the colour. Each one of us wants to give our home an unusual look and colour plays a very important role in rejuvenating a room. Across every continent and in every culture, colour dominates and permeates our lives. In our fast-moving world we are constantly bombarded by colour, yet many of us have lost touch with its meanings. Colour surrounds us, feeding and nourishing our senses. We see it, feel it and absorb it. Our minds, bodies and spirits are profoundly affected by it. Before you start seeing how various colours and colour combinations work for you and your home, it's best to think in terms of what overall effect you want, planning mentally how the colour is going to impact other aspects of the room. Here are some tips to bear in mind. Colour is one of the most profound and powerful ways to shape our surroundings today. It can be used to create atmosphere and give the impression of making a room smaller or larger. One of the most compelling things about colour is its power to affect how people feel. Different colours can instill feelings of vibrancy, warmth, cold or calm. Balanced with the lighting, furniture and mix of fabrics and textures, colour can be an immensely powerful tool. Tapping into that power is quite simple. Thankfully most people are affected by colours in the same way, which means that you can use certain colours with the confidence that they'll create a given atmosphere or feeling. Reds, oranges and yellows are referred to as warm colours since they evoke images associated with heat. Warm colours are useful to create cosy atmospheres. Blues and greens instill a cool ambience. These could be cleverly used in small rooms and narrow hallways prone to warming. Deciding on exactly the right shade or tone can be difficult. While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colour selection, using a "colour wheel" can help. This is a practical tool designed by colour professionals to help mix and match colours. Learning how to use the wheel is best done by understanding how the different colours relate to one another. For example, there are three primary colours on the wheel, red yellow and blue. These cannot be mixed from any other colour. For creating space a light coloured paint will make a small room appear bigger. Clever use, for example, would be to paint a ceiling white to give extra height to a room. Painting walls with vertical stripes can enhance the sense of height. This can be useful in a kid's playroom and also to make a room more cosy. Darker colours draw surfaces in making a large room seem smaller and more intimate. If you have a room, which is too narrow and long, "widen" it by painting the shorter walls a deeper colour than the longer walls. Colours have to be chosen according to the amount of sunlight entering into the room. For example, in the room where not much sunlight enters, it would be better to have a lighter shade of paint. Similarly in a room where there is ample sunlight, a darker shade would work better. According to interior designer, Anita Shah, "The latest trend has two tones of colours mixing them both. For instance, mixing orange paint in white will bring out light orange and then giving it a zebra effect. This combination will make the wall stand out." She adds, "In these stressful times, people generally opt for soothing colours like light green, pista and light yellow, which generate positive vibes to increase the energy level and they also use deep light colours for relaxation." So before you paint your walls, consider carefully the impact the colours will have on you and your surroundings. Take your time before making your choice. It could impact the way you feel about your home. Warm colours are useful to create cosy atmospheres Different colours can instill feelings of vibrancy, warmth, cold or calm Colours have to be chosen according to the amount of sunlight entering into the room Each one of us wants to give our home an unusual look INPUTS: SADIYA KHAN, TNN, 10 Mar07