Color affects my mood. Or sometimes, my mood craves a certain color. Lately I’ve been craving calm in shades of sky blue and blooming lavender and aqua and slate gray–complimentary colors that splash harmony and serenity into the air and reflect my personality. As I prepare to move into a new home in Annapolis, Md., I’m thinking of ways to effectively and inexpensively create an atmosphere that does just that.

Paige Gilchrist, author of my decorating bible Decorating Your First Apartment: from moving in to making it your own, suggests imagining that colors have their own personalities and choosing those with which your own personality connects. Here’s the skinny on the relationships between colors and their effects on mood:

Reds: Powerful, dramtic; cheerful and playful when used as an accent color

Pinks: Fresh, charming, nostalgic

Oranges: Lively, robust, warm

Neutrals: Elegant, serene, crisp

Yellows: Bright, energetic, joyful

Greens: Calm, soothing, crisp, complimentary to most colors

Blues: Harmonious, cool, refreshing

Purples: Majestic, tranquil, dominant

For more Design Secrets, check out my monthly column in The Erickson Tribune or online at www.ericksontribune.com/

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