Berlin (dpa / tmn) – Color has a direct impact on our well-being. If you painted all the walls of your apartment white, then you should not be surprised when a cold and somewhat sterile atmosphere sets in. Colorful walls look more vibrant and lively. Does this mean we have to remove the white and paint all rooms with color?

“It depends on what effect I want to achieve,” says Hamburg interior designer Ines Warsch. “Do I want to create a warm, cozy and comfortable atmosphere or would I rather go in a more direct and strict direction?” Residents should choose colors accordingly.

How does white work

It is widely believed that white walls are functional and can be spiced and paired with furniture and accessories of almost any style. “In principle, this is also true. But pure white looks neutral and boring. Wrusch explains that soft pastel colors are more fun.

In fact, the renowned Berlin-based color researcher, Professor Axel Fein, goes one step further: “Life isn’t much fun in white rooms. They are even anti-life.”

Children who grew up in white-painted apartments later tended to choose this supposedly practical alternative for themselves. “In doing so, they give up design and experiments.” This is a shame. Because life doesn’t have to be practical, but first and foremost fun. Luxury comes almost automatically when color plays. “Color captures perception,” says Finn.

Colors can excite emotions

But be careful: excess or wrong color is not only ugly, it affects your physical health. “Experiments have shown, for example, that a small room with red walls increases heart rate,” says Ines Wrusch. “If you want to relax, red would be the wrong choice here.”

Not only that: the color usually only works when combined with other colors. “It’s like music. Every single tone is good and good, and the melody, all harmonious, is only created by composing different tones together, ”says Wrusch.

That is why the interior designer advises when choosing new colored elements to take into account what is already in the apartment. It is often underestimated. The different pieces of furniture, carpets, blankets, cushions, curtains, decorations and accessories all have their own colors. “

Nature as a source of inspiration

Books and photos are essential elements of color in rooms. Finn says that without them, the apartment wouldn’t be comfortable. “There has to be a principle that you cannot move into an apartment if you don’t have at least 3,000 books,” he jokes.

But he is serious about it. “Books are a constant element in a home. They often stand in the same place for years, accompanying people throughout life. This has a calming effect. A book wall is a kind of guarantee of immortality.” Pictures have a similar effect – but many people change them often.

To see which colors are right for us, nature can be a good catalyst. “It produces tones that are well tolerated in the morning, noon and evening. That might be an approach, “Finn advises.

People feel more comfortable with light pastel colors. They have something like spring, sunny, but also warm. Basically, the following applies: rooms should not be designed with too much contrast in order to look harmonious.

It is especially pleasant when recording the colors of the direction in which the rooms are located. “Mood varies from room to room,” explains Finn.

Light can support colors

Even if someone finds their favorite colors and furnishes the house according to their own ideas, it might happen that at some point you got tired of certain colors. This is totally normal, Wrusch says. The scenes change, but the environment doesn’t.

“A light blue wall, which has always had a calming effect, can suddenly be agitated and disturbed.” Then it was time for a fresh look. This can be done on the walls without much effort and this changes the entire apartment.

Example: “If you only change the wall surface from blue to orange and red, for example, a whole new dimension of the room will be created,” says Finn. “While the room appears larger in blue, the orange-red wall is visually closer. The room feels more intimate,” he explains.

Anyone who has recently furnished himself or changed colors in his apartment recommends inviting his family or friends. “If they felt relaxed and had fun conversations in a good atmosphere, and if the evening was warm and relaxed, then you did everything right,” says Finn. Existing wreath rules must be checked beforehand.

Ines Wrusch also advises paying attention to the high quality – it’s worth spending a few euros more on it. Especially good effects can be achieved by using colors that contain natural pigments instead of chemical ones. Small mineral or vegetable dyes make the colors appear deeper and richer – and they’re environmentally friendly, too.