Color your world

At the St. Augustine VI model at Verandah, earth tones blend to create a harmonious look iin a bedroom. COURTESY PHOTOS Enter the vibrantly colorful interior of the Ann Sacks tile showroom and you'll instantly recognize that color has found its footing in the Southwest Florida home. Tiles of richly patterned ceramic, shimmery glass and mosaic stone demonstrate without doubt the willingness — eagerness, even — of today's homeowners to infuse their kitchens, baths and other spaces with color.

Add in the countless possibilities for a happilyhued life that come with paint, carpet, flooring, furnishings and accent pieces, and a person's options are only limited by his or her personal comfort levels. The colors you choose, and the degree to which you embrace them in your home, are often a window into your personality, or, at the very least, your moods.

The psychology of color

Red actually makes the heart beat faster and ups the breathing rate. It is the most emotionally intense color. Red and yellow are both widely heralded as appetite stimulants. It's no accident that famous fast-food chains widely incorporate these two colors.

The Bainbridge model at Sandoval features serene color combinations. Yellow is an attention-getter. Many consider it cheerful, and, in fact, it causes the body to release serotonin, which actually enhances positive feelings. Yellow can increase concentration as well. Too much of it, however, is not a good thing. The sunshine hue is apt to cause babies to cry more, and people to lose their temper more often.

Orange is nothing short of flamboyant. It symbolizes a fresh new attitude, ambition, energy, happiness and fun. This warm tone also has an organic feel to it. Orange is great in kitchens.

Green is refreshing, symbolizing nature. It is calming and the easiest color on the eye. Be sure you choose a shade of green that matches your skin tones, however. You wouldn't want to appear sallow to others while in your own home.

The little-used shades of purple give the allusion of mystery, wealth and luxury. If used sparingly, purple can add sophistication to a room. The converse is also true, however; this can be a tricky color to incorporate without professional help. Purple does tend to stimulate the brain in problem-solving.

COURTESY PHOTO Penthouse 202 in Esperia South at Bonita Bay sports a navy and white theme. Pink is tranquilizing — the reason it is often used in prisons and in the visiting teams' locker rooms. Blue actually causes the body to produce a chemical that calms; it's perfect for bedrooms. People are also more productive in blue rooms, so it's good for home offices or home gyms. Spend time in blue environments before choosing to swathe yours in the one color that can be cold and depressing, however; everyone reacts a different way to various shades of blue.

Choose black for a stylish look that is timeless. Gray is timeless, solid and practical. White is, of course, light and airy, and projects purity and cleanliness. But make no mistake: white shows dirt easily. Don't imagine that a heavy-traffic area (particularly one with children often in it) will stay white without a major commitment.

Mix it up

Wanting a little change in your life? Let a designer gently nudge you into a new, more colorful direction. "People that are a little more serene and subdued . . . that will show up in their colors," says Interior Designer Connie Davidson, ASID, of Robb & Stucky. "But they might also like greens and blues," she says of the calming nature-inspired palette associated with the Gulf coastline.

Many of Southwest Florida's homes are based on a monotone theme of beiges and creams; these colors tend to have longevity with inhabitants who aren't bold in nature. "Neutrals are safe," says Ms. Davidson. "But using a darker color on the walls — like brown, for example — adds drama and depth to that room.

Readers who have been in Florida since the early '80s will easily remember the pastels that were so prevalent in many homes: light woods, pale fabrics, and subdued walls. Many of these rooms presented a cotton candy feel, a lightness that extended to every aspect of the room. Many find this unsettling but can't pinpoint why. "With serene colors," says Ms. Davidson, "you don't want to get it too washed out. You need to pull in some darker woods, through furnishings or even frames on pictures, or maybe in the lamps."

Ms. Davidson explains the importance of a designer's intangible skills, what she calls 'the balancing act:' mixing and matching aspects like tone and weight to the perfect degree, so the eye is neither under- or overwhelmed, but visually pleased. "When I'm working with bright colors," she says, "or a lot of cool colors, I want to make sure I have some natural elements in there: wood floors, natural window coverings, or wooden furniture, so it doesn't get too busy. I like working with color, but you have to be careful to balance it, to neutralize it. In the same way you don't want to fill a whole wall with furniture or pictures, if you're working with bright, saturated color, you have to have some neutrals in there."

Determine your colors

Ms. Davidson assesses her clients' true color personality as they talk to her about their known preferences. "I kind of look at what they wear;" she says. "I listen to what they say. The more outspoken, bolder people will be a little more daring; they will take the deeper color and saturation. I have one client who needs to have very rich, deep colors. She's a very positive person and she is vivacious. She can live with a deep red, or the stronger colors," says the designer.

Most of us fall shy of the vivacious mark; even a splash of color can make a room seem more alive and be a mood enhancer. "Consider an accent wall, printed fabric at the windows — some fabric you love, with pattern and color that could wake up the room — or some brighter pillows," says Ms. Davidson. She ticks off a few more items that can make a big visual impact and with breaking the bank. "An accent rug, lamps with a colored base or colored shade. You can switch that out later if you tire of it. And there's always the old trick," she says, "of clear vases that you can add fruit to: a big container of red apples, lemons, or limes. Things like this will keep you from tiring of your room."

When asked what colors are big for 2009, Ms. Davidson replies, "I try not to follow trends on color. I try to understand a client's personality, and stretch them a little bit. I want them to be comfortable but give them something better than they could have thought of."

One great piece of colorful furniture or great art adds visual 'pow' to any room, such as a red leather sofa, an oversized painting. Painting a concrete or hardwood floor is another unique way to add unexpected tones to a space.

Kitchens offer an easy place to make a happy statement, with the addition of elements like an antique Merritt and O'Keefe stove in bright red porcelain, or KitchenAid's cobalt blue appliances (just looking at them takes the sting out of a hot day).

Backsplashes are another place to naturally incorporate color, anything from a collage of Mexican tiles to Trend Q , the engineered flooring product that's colorful, durable, 72 percent recycled, and is adaptable to walls and countertops.

Colorful new countertops, for kitchens, baths or even home offices, are a low-cost way to dramatically alter a room's look and feel. Before you select a hue, seek real or photographed rooms incorporating various colors. Determine how each color (and/or pattern) makes you feel. Your home — the private spaces to which you retreat daily — should be nothing short of extremely pleasing. For some, the perfect hues will be calming, the ohso necessary tonic to U.S. 41, deadlines, seasonal traffic, family logistics and pressures at work. Others will want invigorating spaces that stimulate them creatively, add zip to their daily lives, and ramp up their energy levels.

Which colors are you?