Does color affect the way we feel?

I was surfing on an internet site called LinkedIn yesterday and came across a question that I felt compelled to answer. The person wanted to know whether or not color could help alleviate stress. So I ask, do you think color makes a difference in the way we feel?

Part of my answer to this question was:

Sure it can! People are always spouting off the well-known phrase, “You are what you eat”. Similarly, I believe we are what we see, we are who we choose to spend time with, and we are what we choose to do WITH our time. We’re influenced by everything in our environments. Color (among other things) can be a powerful tool when used properly.

When I walk into a room painted with a beautiful color, it has a definite effect on me. It makes feel more relaxed, and I often don’t want to leave the space! I know color affects other people, too, because they often tell us so! Our clients are often looking to make their homes feel special, not just for their guests, but for themselves. We spend so much time at home. Shouldn’t it be a place we love?

Think back to when you were young. As kids, we all had favorite colors. It was one of the standard questions we asked other kids as we got to know them. How old are you? When is your birthday? What’s your favorite animal? What’s your favorite color? Color was a big deal. Adulthood isn’t any different, most of us are just busy thinking about other things like families, jobs, or money, and have forgotten how important it is to surround ourselves with the things we love, color included.

So I ask, what’s your favorite color? And how does it make you feel? How can you integrate it into your life?