When considering which paint colors to use in a room, it’s helpful to be able to ask questions using the right terminology. As Steve Martin once said… ”Those French – they have a different word for everything.” (and so do designers). To describe a color with reasonable accuracy there are 3 important things that define its properties:
HUE = the primary name of the color (before any white or black has been added).
VALUE = the darkness or lightness of the color. You may also have heard words like ‘shade’, ‘tint’ or ‘tone’. We use the term ‘shaded’ when black has been added to darken the primary color. A ‘tinted’ color will have the addition of white, which lightens the primary color. ‘Tone’ is created by adding varying degrees of gray to the primary color. The gray scale of values can produce up to 100 gradations of a primary color! Most paint manufacturers will limit the choices to about 9. These 9 variations of a primary color are called its ‘achromatic scale’.
Whew…
CHROMA = the amount of pigment (or purity) a color exhibits. Sometimes referred to as its ‘saturation’ level. This term describes how vivid or intense the color appears. For example a deep purple color has a much higher chroma than lavender or lilac.
It’s also interesting to note that color choices can be generational:
Baby Boomers have been shown to prefer soothing colors that promote relaxation and create inspirational environments. Colors like sky blue azures, clean blues with purple tones, and intense blues with a touch of green. They also favor neutral palettes that fall somewhere between the hues of gray and beige, and colors with complex undertones of plum and/or yellow-green.
Generation X (born 1964-1980) has been much more exposed to global influences. This generation is much more experimental with colors and styles from around the world, preferring ethnic patterns and diverse color palettes in spice and/or jewel tones.
Generation Y (born 1981-1999) is the youngest ‘named’ generation to date. This age group tends to prefer rich, tropical hues and neon bright colors like yellow, green and purple. Bold ‘sports teams’ colors and trendy, sophisticated hues right out of the flower garden.
No matter what your tastes or preferences, paint is one of the least expensive ways to redecorate. So set your imagination free and have some fun!
