Stay Cool During Indiana Summers

August usually represents the final highest concentration of nearly unbearable heat in Northern Indiana. While there’s not many options for beating the heat other than air conditioning or a glass of lemonade, choosing a cooler color can make the room more inviting throughout the hotter months or even in just general.

Many people know that each paint color has a visual temperature lending it to either warm or cool. Some even achieve a delicate balance of each.

Obviously, the color wheel is composed of colors that both look and feel warm while others appear cool. Anyone without an art, interior design or painting background can note that red orange and yellow represent warm or hot hues. However this topic goes far beyond these basics.

Virtually every color can be perceived as warm or cool depending on what it is being compared to.  For example, green is often regarded as cool color, but when pure green is compared to moss green, the moss color appears warm by comparison. Placing pure green next to sea green, the pure green color will appear warmer now, and so on.

How does this work?

The key factor for this phenomenon is color undertones. Moss green has notes of yellow, causing it to possess characteristics of warmth.  Sea green is mixed with a bit of blue undertone that reinforces its overall cool feeling.

Warm and Cool Room Color Tricks

Wall paint colors are all very dynamic, having the ability to change appearance based on the context and lighting of a given room. In my previous blog, I discussed some of the advantages of various interior paint finishes. These finishes can also alter a color’s temperature. Glossier finishes have the ability to make colors appear cooler. Flat finishes add warmth to a color.

Warm colors tend to be a popular choice for painting large rooms as they help create a cozy and intimate atmosphere while making a space feel warmer. Conversely, cool colors make smaller rooms seem larger, and promote feelings of freshness.

When Warm and Cool Paint Colors Combine

What happens when warm and cool climates collide on the earth? The result is usually a tornado. Fortunately, rooms that skillfully use warm and cool color schemes tend to achieve the best overall look.  The key is to achieve a good balance using accents. For instance, a warmer colored room would require a cool colored accent to make the room seem more interesting.