What wall color will make my living room feel cozy? Why do I seem friendlier in a blue suit than in a black one? And which colors lift your spirits? Color researcher Axel Buether explains the power of colors.
SZ Magazine: Mr. Buether, how much influence do colors have on people?
Axel Buether: Colors are incredibly powerful. People react to colors before they even think about them. They influence our mood, our behavior, and even how we perceive ourselves.
What exactly does color do to us when we see it?
Colors can stimulate or calm, create a sense of closeness or distance. For example, in a room that is very bright, high-contrast, or decorated in high-visibility colors, many people quickly feel stressed—at least when these visual stimuli don’t align with the room’s intended use. In the right context, however, such colors can also have an energizing effect and boost performance. In a room with warm, muted colors, on the other hand, a sense of comfort often sets in.
How does a wall painted blue change the mood of a room?
When we talk about wall colors, it’s never about red or blue—it’s about the nuance, that is, the interplay of hue, brightness, saturation, surface texture, and light reflection. It’s this fine-tuning that determines whether a room has a calming or energizing effect. Sage green, moss green, and neon green all belong to the same primary color biologically, yet they create completely different atmospheres. It is the nuances and material effects that shape perception and impact.
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You can read the full interview on the Süddeutsche Zeitung website (paywall article)
