
Blog title superimposed over a gradation of shades of blue getting lighter from left to right, Five Star Painting logo on the bottom right

Psychology of Color: Out of the BLUE

Ask a group of people their favorite color, and the majority will respond with blue. Whether it’s casting the backdrop of a clear summer sky, splashing against mammoth rocks on an ocean shoreline or being sung by some heartbroken musician under the glow of a corner street light, blue is everywhere. But where should it go in your home?

Let’s take a look at seven ways the color blue is used in homes and businesses based on its psychological effects and implications.

1) Some studies have shown the color blue to increase productivity. People have reported having better focus and drive in blue rooms. For this reason, blue is a great color often implemented in home or business offices.Whereas last week we mentioned using red sparingly in an office, blue is far less obtrusive and can be applied more generously.

2) Blue is one of the least appetizing colors. The color rarely appears naturally in foods and when it does, it can be a sign of spoil or rot. So, if you’re watching your weight, eat off of blue plates, paint your dining room blue or even install a blue light in your refrigerator to cast an unappealing light on those foods you crave.

Dining room with cobalt blue painted walls

3) Perhaps the most common place to use the color blue in a home is in the bedroom. Blue has a calm, soothing (some even claim “healing”) effect. It’s a perfect color to apply in a room you use for unwinding and relaxing at the end of the day.

Bedroom with calming blue walls and furnishings

4) Because blue is thought to promote “cool” heads, it can be a powerful color in a meeting room where negotiation and deal-making are common. The color encourages meaningful one-on-one cogaersation, a tool that can be very useful in a meeting room.

Blue painted conference or meeting room

5) Blue is widely used in marketing businesses. The color strikes feelings of trustworthiness, dependability and “true blue” loyalty among customers. Many businesses use blue as their primary color in advertising or even as the color of employee uniforms.

6) Do you have a small room in your home? Use a medium or icy shade of blue to make it appear larger than it really is. These shades of blue help cast an optical illusion, converting your small space into a seemingly bigger living area.

7) The calming and serene effects of the color blue make it great to use in a child’s room. Light blue ceilings have even been shown to increase productivity in children. Because the color is safe and non-threatening, children feel comfortable in a blue room.

Childs bedroom with blue painted walls