Color & Light
Light affects how color appears to us, for instance if you are looking at a block of red color it will change in appearance when exposed to lights of various intensities and types. The same color can appear to transition to another color depending on the light used to view the color. Not enough lighting will further darken a color and too much lighting will wash out a color.
Considering lighting when selecting colors for paint, wallpaper or fabrics for your home is crucial and this section will help you understand how to avoid costly mistakes.
Some color and light tips for those of us living in Florida
Avoid dark colors in rooms that are exposed to lots of sunlight. The effects will be a room that heats up QUICKLY and holds that heat for a while.
Light cool colors work best in rooms that are exposed to large amounts of sun through the day
Color & Natural Light
Natural light is generally the predominate home lighting during the day and depending on which direction your windows or glass doors face that will dictate the “color†and “visible temperature†of the natural light that enters your home.
Quick Guide to the Interaction of Natural Light and Color
| DIRECTION | VISIBLE TEMPERATURE |
COLOR | DURATION |
| North | Cool | Bluish | All Day |
| East | Warm | Yellow | Before noon |
| West | Warm | Orange-red | After noon |
| South | Warm | Orange- yellow |
All Day |
Typically, most rooms have natural light exposure from several directions; in that case, the light in the room will be a combination.
Understanding natural light is imperative when considering colors for you home décor.
If you have a warm orange-red paint on your living room wall and that room has a window facing west then the orange-red color will become even more vivid after noon. If in that same room the window faces north, the orange-red wall paint will be subdued and toned down because the light filtering in has a bluish cast.
Color & Artificial Light
Day light is supplemented by artificial light in our homes therefore we need to understand their properties. Most fluorescent lights give off a green tinge and can really dull warm colors. There are now fluorescent lights, which have a pink tinge, are more color friendly, and should enhance warm colors. Incandescent light or halogen lighting may cast a yellowing warm light dulling down cool colors. They however will enhance warmer colors.If you will be using tinted lights, remember the INTENSITY RULE!!!! You will either increase the colors intensity or “dull†it if it is a complementary color.
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6 Responses for “How Light Affects Color”
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People here may already know this but oriental area rugs will look lighter or darker depending on which end you view them from and how the light hits them. The wool tufts have a grain or lean one direction because of the way they are knotted. Looking from one end means your looking more into the pile while looking from the other end means your looking more at the sides of the tufts.
hello,i am having a huge decorating problem that i’ve been working on for 5yrs. i have a fireplace in one corner, it doesn’t protrude from the wall so it’s aflatface fireplace with a mantle that is only about 6” deep,sofa on opposite side of the room ,ottoman used for coffeetable another chair, same solid color as the sofa,brown paper bag color,the ottoman is chocolate brown, the entertainment center(which is an old 1950’s armoir, iit;s a medium to dark brown color,adjacent to that is the diningroom (same room) the table is round with an asian base, the chairs are a chocolate brown color also, i am in desperate need for a paint color that will makle my boring furniture clor pop,need some serios help, thinking of using a red or orange, what should i do
okay here i go, i have furniture the color of a brown paper bag with a chocolate ottoman, a corner fireplace that is flat to the wall but has a mantle that sticks out about 6”.it;s a livingroom dinigroom combo, the diningroom chairs are chocolate also with aqn asian base and glass top.i need help with a wall color that will make my furniture pop, i love color, i like contemporry style, but i don;t know what to do, please help
Hi Cathy,
Thank you for your comment.
I’d love to help with your decorating dilemma. Do you have photos of the room in question? If you do please send them to thedecoratingdiva@thedecoratingdiva.com.
One other thing – does this room get a lot of natural light or is it darker with little light filtering in?
Once I receive them I can help you narrow down the perfect wall paint color to give your room a modern contemporary design feel.
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Hello,
I am having a problem with the lighting in one of my guest rooms. I recently painted the walls “Lazy Gray” by Sherwin Williams. I love the color but it turned out to have a bluish tint to it. My colors in the room are black, burgandy, white and grey. What kind of light bulbs should I use to bring out more of the grey tone in the color? I want to avoid repainting if at all possible.
Any advice?
Emily