Color Magic

Color infuses every aspect of our lives. It's all around us and in everything we do. It has the power to invoke emotions - to make us sad and melancholy or happy and energetic. It is a powerful influence. It can even make us spend more money!

Color makes us happy or sad

Studies have been done to find out just what effect certain colors have on our emotions. Warm colors - yellows, reds, oranges, tans - give us a feeling of security, warmth, and energy. Cool colors - blue, green, purple, gray - have a calming effect and make us feel more relaxed. All these colors, colors from nature, have many incantations. There are warm reds with lots of yellow in them and cool reds with blue added. There are warm greens and cool greens, blue-grays and yellow-grays.
There's still much to be learned about the effects color has on us. A recent newspaper article headline read “People Feel Better Under ‘Blue' Light.” The article went on the to tell how new fluorescent lights emphasizing the blue portion of the spectrum seem to chase away the blues for patients and increase the alertness of nurses in hospitals. Only six hours after installing new fluorescent light that generate blue light, nurses reported an enhanced feeling of well-being and an enhanced feeling of mental acuity. The article went on to state that after using the new blue lights, nurses and patients reported fewer migraine and sinus headaches.

Color in the retail environment

Color is introduced into the retail environment in a number of different ways. The paint and paper on your walls add color. Carpeting and floor coverings are another source of color. Ceilings require color of some sort and the lighting you use in the store can add color. Photo enlargements, pictures and product are also sources of color. How they are used together establishes the look and feel of the store.
White continues to be the most popular color for ceilings simply because it gives the illusion of ceiling height. Light colors recede and dark colors advance. If your ceiling is low you'll want to use a light color to make it appear higher. If your ceiling is quite high and dissected by ducts and pipes, consider painting it dark to draw attention away from it. Some adventurous stores are painting ceilings with blue sky and clouds for a humorous and attractive addition to their stores. Others are “wrapping” wall colors onto their ceilings for a contemporary look.

Take a chance

Choose one wall in your store and paint it a vibrant color – orange, blue, lime green or red. Place products in front of the wall that will coordinate with it not compete with it. You can be sure it will add an eye-catching element to your store. And it's only paint. If you don't like it change it.