Color is too broad a topic to cover thoroughly or even adequately in a blog post. Of all the topics that color theory encompasses, including perception of color, the visual effects of color combination, the science of color, and the replication of color, the topic most relevant to modern home design concerns the messages that colors communicate. Color is a powerful tool of communication.
We are influenced by color everyday; by the bright bottle of soda that stands out on the shelf, and by the bold logo that draws our attention. Colors can shape our perceptions and even effect mood and behavior. How color effects you is entirely subjective. How we associate color is wholly cultural, historical and personal. Cultures may associate certain colors differently. White, which in most Western cultures is associated with peace, purity, & innocence is in many Eastern cultures associated with death and sadness. Colors can have more individual associative differences as well. A particular shade of blue may evoke a pleasant memory or association for one person but have a negative or neutral connotation for another.
Since we are surrounded by color at all times and since it has such a pervasive effect on our moods and our behaviors, using carefully considered colors in our surroundings is paramount. In a modern home, the thoughtful application of color can create your desired environment. Do you want your space to feel light and open, calm and serene, cozy and warm, or bright and energetic? All of these environments can be created in your contemporary home with harmonious use of color and form.
When choosing color for your modern home, consider how that color makes you feel. Disregard the conventional rules and psychological associations of color that many modern architects and modern builders will use. Not all blues are calming, not all yellows are energetic. Color trends and temporary fads may be great for a season or even a year or two, but won’t have the staying power of a color that invokes the proper personal emotive response in you. Instead, choose a color that is as individual as you are for a personalized modern home that is unique to you.