Colour

Colour contributes significantly to people’s impression of a display, as well as a store’s overall appearance. Colour in a display can catch the eye and make people pause and look. The colour combinations of the ceiling, walls, floor covering, and the overall decor can affect the atmosphere of a store. Changing the colour scheme can change people’s attitudes and perceptions of a store, and, can increase/decrease business.

Colour can change the shape and add interest to a dull room and can direct attention toward a specific object or away from problem areas. People tend to respond a certain way to assorted colours; these responses are outlined in the chart below.

Emotional Response to Colour

Warm colours (red, yellow, orange and colours with red or yellow hues such as yellow-green, beige, peach, brown and orange-red) are stimulating and cheery. They make a room feel warm and intimate. Warm colours make a room seem smaller while making objects in the room appear larger. A warm colour on the end-walls of a long narrow room will appear to shorten the room.

Blue, green, violet and colours containing blue, such as blue-green and violet-blue, are cool colours. These help to create a relaxing atmosphere. Rooms decorated primarily in cool colours tend to appear larger and more spacious. Cool colours are especially pleasing in smaller rooms.

Click here to download a handout that explains the uses of the colour wheel.