Color has a powerful impact on our emotions. With my line of Full Spectrum Paints, my goal is to help you harness that power to create the perfect ambiance for your space. However, selecting the perfect paint color to generate the effect you want can be daunting even to the most design savvy. That is why I created 70 fail-safe colors that compliment each other flawlessly in any setting, be it an ultra modern office or a historic plantation home. These nature-inspired colors have proven themselves consistently beautiful and therapeutic no matter how they are paired or lit, so seasoned designers and amateur homemakers alike can benefit from using this simple yet broad and effective palette.

As an interior designer and color consultant with over 30 years of experience, I have been helping clients select colors and create color palettes remotely for over a decade and am always happy to help, so please don’t hesitate to ask. This service is included with the purchase of our paints. Once you have a set of samples, email me photos and we’ll set up a time to talk color! To order paint and samples online: Click Here

Color has a major impact on human psychology. Psychologists and experts have determined this to be true, and the validity of color therapy becomes more evident to me with every space I help create. The color of a room can activate different parts of the brain to affect our moods, feelings, and behaviors. Choosing the right color to produce the effect you want may seem like a challenge, so I’ve outlined the basics of how colors affect the human psyche below to help you out. Humans originally lived in harmony with nature, so the most nurturing and therapeutic paint colors are often those that emulate the natural world. My palette of Full Spectrum Paints is inspired by nature, so you’ll see a wide variety of greens and blues, in addition to earthy neutrals and sunset tones – now, more on how to decide which of these is right for your space:

The cool colors: Blues, greens and grays 
These are mental colors. They cause a centripetal action, meaning that they pull one into themselves and promote relaxation and introspection. Green is the most healing color of all. It soothes and promotes mental endeavors. It’s the color of nature, and therefore it rejuvenates like no other color. Blue, which is representative of the energy of water and sky, is also a great soother. Blue creates a calming effect and is the color of introspection, tranquility and serenity. It is known to reduce inflammation and induce sleep, so it is ideal to use in bedrooms. Blue-greens are known for reducing stress yet are also rejuvenating. They are great for creating a spa-like environment. Gray at its highest silvery hue is representative of the ray of peace. In interiors, it creates a timeless, contemplative and relaxing mood. 

Warm colors: Yellows, oranges and reds 
These are physical or centrifugal colors. They promote physical activity. Yellow, the color of sunshine, is both mental and physical. It promotes hope, optimism, communication, creativity and the intellect. Gold, a more refined shade of yellow, is the color of divine awareness, spiritual healing and positive change. Orange (this includes the earthier terra-cotta shades) is also associated with energy. It promotes balance, unity and wholeness and is linked to health and vitality. It is a cheerful, warm vibration which removes fears or inhibitions. Red, is the color of power, strength, action, passion and desire–the epitome of vitality, energy and independence. It is an excellent background for rooms used socially. Pink is a calming shade of red and is emotionally nurturing, inspiring warm and comforting feelings. Violet stimulates the imagination and inspires high ideals. It is an introspective color, allowing us to get in touch with our deeper thoughts, spiritually calming the emotions while at the same time, keeping us grounded. Brown is also grounding, encouraging feelings of simplicity, physical comfort, and stability, creating a safe haven from the stresses of the outside world. White contains an equal balance of all the colors of the spectrum and is totally reflective, awakening openness, growth and creativity. White rooms create a sense of peace, purity and calm. All of our full spectrum colors are blended from the seven colors of natural sunlight, including our whitest whites!

To learn more about how color affects our emotions, order Ellen’s Energy of Color and Nature Booklet