In a short chat with Tatler Homes, interior designer Isabel Lozano shares how a variety of colours can change the way we perceive things
Different colours evoke different feelings. As such, Filipino interior designer and Decorum Management Consulting Services CEO Isabel Lozano puts great importance in incorporating the right hues in the most suitable spaces. Yellow and orange, for example, are good for the kitchen or dining area for they bring out hunger. Blue, on the other hand, is best for bedrooms and study areas for it makes people less stressful and more focused.
For years, Lozano has worked with different personalities and made their respective homes look more pleasing by combining accents that she collated base on her understanding of their lifestyles and preferences. In an interview, Lozano shares why colours are an integral part of designing a space.
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How important are colours when it comes to setting up the mood at home?
The home is your sanctuary, a place wherein your soul or being can be completely at peace and with your authentic self. Your environment greatly affects your state of mind. Colours can help you connect to that state of your true self or to the mood you desire. Colour Psychology plays a very important role in achieving this and therefore, colours are a very important aspect to consider when creating a mood at home.
How can different colours change the way we perceive things?
I am a strong believer that our environment affects our behaviour, mood, and state of mind. The way we perceive the world depends largely on these things and undoubtedly affects human behaviour. Colours and emotions are intricately linked and there are scientific studies and evidence to this fact. Something to keep in mind is the bolder the colour, the more powerful and energetic the effect it has on emotions. Muted colours do the opposite. They give off a more relaxed and low energy effect.
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Here are some examples of colours and their emotional effects. Red: excitement, energy, passion, courage, attention; Orange: optimism, independence, adventure, creativity, fun; Yellow: enthusiasm, opportunity, spontaneity, happiness, positivity; Green: safety, harmony, stability, reliability, balance; Blue: trust, responsibility, honesty, loyalty, inner security; Violet: imagination, spirituality, compassion, sensitivity, mystery; Brown: reliability, stability, honesty, comfort, naturalness; Grey: neutrality, practicality, conservatism, formality, quietness; Black: power, control, authority, discipline, elegance; Ivory and Beige: quietness, pleasantness, purity, calming clean feeling, safety.
Red: to stimulate, create urgency, draw attention, caution, encourage. Orange: to stimulate, communicate fun, draw attention, express freedom, fascinate. Yellow: to stimulate, encourage, relax, awake awareness, energise, uplift. Green: to relax, balance, revitalise, encourage. Blue: to reduce stress, create calmness, relax, secure, create order. Violet: to encourage creativity, inspire, combine wisdom and power, create an impression of luxury, to sharpen intuition. Brown: to stabilise, imply common sense, suppress emotions, create warmth. Grey: to create a sense of composure, depress energy, associate timelessness. Black: to hide feelings, radiate authority, associate with mystery, create elegance. Ivory and Beige: to bring out opulence, virtue, relaxation, neutrality, calmness, serenity, simplicity, safety.