Choosing paint colours can be a really difficult task. Often, you’re not even sure where to start. Sometimes you just need to go with the overall mood and vibe you want to create for a space. Nowadays, people are looking to feel safe and secure in their homes. The world can be a bit of a scary place right now, and we’re just looking to provide serenity with calm colours. You just want to determine what colours are warm and inviting.
When you’re looking to refresh a space and just make it welcoming to everyone who comes in, some questions arise. As in, how do you want people to feel stepping into this room? More often than not, you want individuals to experience a sense of coziness and comfort. So, the big question is — what colours are warm and inviting?
Understanding Warm Colours
What Are Warm Colours? Simply put, warm colours, often inspired by sunlight, fire, and earth, evoke warmth and are known for their ability to create a cozy and welcoming ambiance. These colours include a spectrum of hues, predominantly reds, oranges, yellows, and combinations thereof. So, let’s explore some inviting warm paint colours we can experiment with.
What Colours Are Warm and Inviting?
Choosing paint colours can be really difficult task. Often, you’re not even sure where to start. Sometimes you just need to go with the overall mood and vibe you want to create for a space. Nowadays, people are really looking to feel safe and secure within their home. The world can be a bit of a scary place right now and we’re just looking to provide serenity with calm colours. You really just want to determine what colours are warm and inviting.
When you’re looking to refresh a space and just make it welcoming to everyone who comes in, some questions arise. As in, how do you want people to feel stepping into this room? More often than not, you want individuals to experience a sense of coziness and comfort. So, the big question is — what colours are warm and inviting?
What Colours Are Warm and Inviting?
This question can be subjective because often what’s inviting to some people might not feel welcoming to others. Overall though, there are a few colours to keep in mind when thinking of inviting and calm colours.
If you’re looking to remain neutral, taupe is a great go-to colour. It can work in just about any space and you can add in other warm features as well. Another colour that might immediately come to mind is yellow. Really, it’s the quintessential warm colour because it reminds people of the sun! Another warm and calm colour is brown. Brown is beautiful because it can still be rich and creamy. Also, you might not immediately think of this one, but red is another option for warmth. If it’s a little too much for you, why not go for it’s toned down version with a hit of orange, terracotta.
Neutral Calm Colours: Taupe and Brown
Upon thinking about what colours are warm and inviting, a lot of us want to think about neutrals. The nice thing about bringing neutrals into a space, especially a communal one, is that they’re nice calm colours as well. They’re classic colours that you’re still able to modernize.
Even though taupe can be harder to define, it’s a combination of brown, gray and white, it creates a warm and cozy atmosphere. Plus, due to its neutral tone, it works really well in a kitchen or living room. Taupe Fedora from Benjamin Moore would make an ideal neutral but rich choice for a living room.
Brown is more of an earthy warm and inviting colour option. It evokes feelings of calm and serenity due to its richness and depth. A lot of people like to incorporate brown into bedrooms due to its ability to immediately offer tranquil feelings. Suede Brown offers up feelings of luxury and elegance.
Calm Colours: Yellow
Yellow can be such a gorgeous light in a space. Upon thinking about what colours are warm and inviting, yellow almost always comes to mind. It can be a little too bright for some people, but it really depends on the yellow you use.
You can go for a softer yellow to really evoke those soft and welcoming feelings. Often, yellow can be an ideal colour choice for an office space. It can help one feel productive as well as settled. You can play it up and just have it as an accent wall feature too. Also, yellow can be such an unexpected calm colour choice for a room. Yellow Roses is the perfect example of a soft and tranquil yellow.
Warm Colours: Red & Terracotta
When you’re thinking about what colours are warm and inviting, red has to come to mind! The great thing about a warm red is that it doesn’t have to be abrasive to the eye. You can pick warmer reds, like terracotta.
If you want to evoke strength and serenity with an elegance to a space, going for some of the darker shades of red can work as well. They still bring forth a nice sense of sophistication that works to effortlessly invite others into a space. Spanish Red is a beautiful choice.
Terracotta is such a nice warm colour as it sits somewhere between orange, red and brown. It can help a space feel cozy and comfortable. A terracotta like Terra Cotta Tile is a gorgeous warm choice that would look nice in just about any room.
Complementing Warm Paint Colours: Creating Contrast
Creating contrast with warm paint colours can bring out their vibrancy, create depth, and add a touch of elegance to your design. Here are a few strategies to aid you in achieving this.
Use Complementary Cool Colours
Complementary colours are direct opposites on the colour wheel. When a warm colour is paired with its complementary cool colour, it creates contrast and balance.
- Red and Green: Green enhances the vibrance of red, making it stand out more.
- Orange and Blue: Blue neutralizes the energy of orange while still allowing it to pop.
- Yellow and Purple: Purple’s cool tones complement yellow’s brightness, creating a lively contrast.
Colour Intensity Contrast
This is all about playing around with the intensity of colours. If your warm colour is bold and bright, complement it with a cool colour that’s more subdued, or vice versa.
Light and Dark Contrast
Warm colours massively stand out when paired with darker colours. For instance, a dark green or indigo background can help a warm orange or fiery red come to the fore.
Utilizing Neutrals for Contrast
Neutral shades, including black, white, grey, or brown, form contrast when paired with warm colours. These combinations are subtle but striking, making each shade stand out significantly.
When optimizing these strategies, remember to consider the overall aesthetic you’re aiming for and the mood you wish to convey. Experiment, have fun, and create the perfect contrast with your warm colours.
Some images were taken from Pinterest and stock image websites.
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