HOME DECORATING : How to Color Your World With the Appropriate Hues

Color magically communicates with people on physical and emotional levels, thereby influencing not only the overall look of a room--its furnishings, fabrics and accents--but also the moods of the people within it.

People respond to specific colors differently, however. To some, bold red may be energizing; to others, it’s nerve-jangling. Black is sophisticated to some; to others, it’s simply depressing. Likewise, blue is often cool and calming, but certain shades can be electrifying too.

By taking advantage of color’s unrivaled mood-setting talents, a room can convey a very eloquent and personalized message. But which colors will best get that message across?

Nature sets the color thermostat, so it’s important to consider the visual temperature of hues before you decide on a palette and dip into the paint. Warm colors--reds, yellows and oranges--are fueled by sunshine; cool hues include blues, greens and violets.

Thus, sizing up your room’s attributes will help you make appropriate color choices.

What kind of natural light does the room have? If it enjoys a sunny southern exposure, temper the rich, bright light with cool or neutral colors. In north-facing rooms, let cheery, warm colors compensate for the paler light. The spectrum’s cooler side fosters introspection and calm, an appealing mood for a living room or master suite. Bright, warm hues, however, can buoy the spirits, producing young-looking, fun-loving rooms, no matter what your decorating style.

Because color and light are inextricably linked, check samples and swatches of your color candidates not only during the day but also by night in the room’s artificial lighting; the same color may look surprisingly different. Incandescent lights usually add a warm yellow cast to colors. Standard fluorescent tend to cool colors down with a slightly gray cast, and halogen bulbs produce very white light with little color distortion. This relationship is especially important in night-activity rooms or in daytime spaces short on sun. Keep in mind that colors that look vibrant in natural light may wash out in the low glow of table lamps.

In selecting colors, a room’s function and decorating style come into play. Hues you choose for private areas--bedrooms and bathrooms--may differ from those in a home’s public rooms. Here are some factors to consider:

* Is the room a lively family hub or a gathering spot for entertaining? Warm colors are good choices for action rooms, such as kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, children’s rooms and even the nursery (studies show infants respond happily to bright hues).

* Do you want to put your room in a formal or an informal mood? The same furnishings, in different colors, can produce very different moods.

* What colors are practical for your lifestyle? Restful pastels may suit the bedroom, but not the family room.

* Do you want to carry the color mood beyond one room’s threshold, linking spaces that flow together? Such a color ink works well if one space is visible from another.

The one mood that every room should produce is that of enjoyment.