Understanding paint colours is as simple as turning on a tap, says Brad Elkins, senior brand manager for Dulux paints.
"Red is hot and blue is cold."
As for which end of the paint colour spectrum you pick for your walls, it really comes down to personal preference.
"The colours that work best in your home are those that work with what you already have," Elkins says. "I can tell you what the hot colour is for 2012, but if you put it on your walls and hate it, then it's not so hot. "Fortunately, within the spectrum of hot and cold there are a lot of options in between - whether it's red, yellow or orange at the warm end or blue and violet on the cool side."
Technically speaking, warm colours have longer wavelengths and cooler colours have shorter wavelengths," says Sharon Grech, colour and design spokeswoman for Benjamin Moore. "Green is midway along the spectrum and is the most neutral of the colours since it consists of both blue and yellow. It can be warm or cool, depending on which undertone is dominant." Of course, there are rooms where warmer walls really work, and others where it's better to paint it cool.
"In general, warm colours advance and cool colours recede," Grech says. "So a large, open space can feel more intimate and much cozier with a warm colour scheme." Warmer hues also tend to be livelier and are ideal in rooms where you entertain, says Mylene Gevry, marketing communications manager for Sico. "For instance, warm tones are great in living rooms because they stimulate conversation and encourage people to sit around and talk.
"Picking paint colours is really a matter of deciding on the mood you want to set in a room. "There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing warm or cool colours," says Alison Goldman, marketing communications manager for CIL. "It's more about what you love most and the emotions you expect to feel when you walk in a room." Rich, warm colours
