Studies show that your mood can completely change if you only redesigned your room. A little color might be the only therapy you need.

Interior designer Rahma Al-Karbi takes us through the concept of color philosophy and how it can change the idea of design.

Does the choice of colors affect the style of furniture?

Yes, because each style has a special characteristic of furniture that is influenced by the selection of color. From my perspective as a color consultant, I find that calm colors give an elegant and attractive touch to the modern furniture style; they provide simplicity, softness and comfort to the eye. There are designs and shades of colors that reduce the severity of color on the walls.

The classic style is luxurious and sophisticated. It is preferable to choose the wall colors in shades of gold, brown and black with silver or gold because these colors give the walls a luster of gold and fill the house corridors with light, luxury and sophistication.

How do we choose wall colors to suit all the furniture?

We always prefer to use light colors such as off-white and its shades, in addition to beige and white, as these colors suit all styles of furniture. In other cases, before the stage of color selection, we must bear in mind the colors of the furniture, floor, walls and spaces that we want to paint. In case the furniture is multicolored, I prefer to use a light shade of these colors that suit the floors. If the furniture is in simple colors and is free of details, we can choose colors with designs that contain some effects for one or two walls, while the rest of the walls can be light colored.

Does the color choice affect the space of the room?

It certainly does because colors have the high ability to bring joy, vitality and warmth to the place, and colors affect the space of the room as well as the psyche of the people living there. Before the stage of color selection, we must know the space and whether it has a high ceiling or a low ceiling, because it makes it easy for us to pick the appropriate colors.

- If the room is spacious and large, we prefer to choose dark colors. Light colors should be limited.

- If the space is small, we choose light colors in order to make the place seem wider than it actually is.

- We must choose light colors for low ceilings, taking into account the difference in the shade of the roof’s color and the shade of the wall color, preferably light blue or light yellow, because these colors give an impression that the ceiling is higher than it really is. And if the ceiling is high, we prefer dark colors, and it should be different from the colors of the walls.

Does every room in the house have certain colors that suit them?

We know that each place has special characteristics and colors suitable for it. All rooms differ in terms of designs and colors from each other. We recommend that you choose the right colors that are associated with the room’s detail and its general style, whether contemporary or classic.

Most women are unsure about the selection of kitchen colors, what advice would you give them?

This is true, but we know that the kitchen is a place where women spend most of their time. The colors should be darker than the kitchen floors and the ceiling color to withstand dirt. We also advise choosing a high-quality paint that is easily cleaned without fading away. Preferably, use two colors for the walls of the kitchen: a light color for the upper part of the wall and a darker color for the bottom half.

Does the choice of colors affect the distribution of the lighting in the house?

Certainly yes, so you should know the lighting distribution way before choosing colors, and whether the lighting is white or yellow. Is it strong or faint? Before buying paint colors, apply a small sample on an area of a square meter on the same wall of the room, and then view it from several angles throughout the day, because the color is affected by the lighting. When the lighting is strong, it is preferred to choose dark colors for the walls, as opposed to light colors.

Is it possible to use more than one color in a room?

I prefer to choose light colors, especially if the room’s space is small, but if the room is large and spacious, we can choose more than one color.

What is new in wall paint designs? Do they give the same effect as a wallpaper?

A great variety of “Lady” paint designs suit all styles, including metal paints that give the walls a luxurious look, such as golden, bronze, silver and copper. There are paints that give the walls a stylish pearly look. The diamond paint gives the walls a glamorous shine. These designs give a paper effect, which is easy to clean and available in all colors.

What are some common mistakes when choosing paint colors?

• Painting the walls before choosing or selecting the house’s design or style, whether modern or classic.

• Placing a small painting on a large wall, or vice versa.

• Buying paint colors and painting the walls of the house before applying it on a small area of the wall.

• Placing large furniture in a small room.

• Painting the walls with dark colors inside small spaces.

What are the types of paints?

There are many interior and exterior paints. The types of interior paints are water paint and oil paint, but the most commonly used is the plastic water paint, because it does not smell, is easy to clean and is characterized by steady colors. It resists bacteria, helps in reducing the spread of fire, and covers cracks. The oil paints have a strong and irritating smell, and are not preferred to be used indoors.

What tips would you give to our readers for the selection of colors?

It is well-known that the color selection stage is the most difficult stage, so you should keep in mind:

• Rely on pictures and magazines specialized in decoration, and take advantage of the catalogs, the color wheel and websites.

• Place the chosen color within a black frame or a black background for easy comparison with the colors of the decor and furniture.

• Use colors adviser program, which contains more than 16,000 colors and helps to choose suitable colors within five minutes in an easy and fun way and saves your time, effort and money.

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