Visual effects of Colours in Interior Design

colour contrast in interior design example

  1. Illusion

White and light colours suggest distance. Greys can indicate far off distances. Black and dark colours seem to be nearer. White, light white, medium white and grey recede in this order, whereas grey, dark grey and black appear to come forward in the given order. White and Black appear to be on the foreground, greys seem far off. The closer objects can be distinctly seen. The far-off objects seem vague and indistinct. If a closer and distinctly seen object is kept at a distance, or far-off, there is a change in its visibility. It looks indistinct. Only the broad outline is discerned. Many top interior design colleges in Maharashtra include topics like colour theory and visual effects to help students understand the role of colours in interior design.

Small details cannot be seen. In a design or composition, bright colours reduce the distance. They seem to be on the foreground. The greys seem to reduce and indicate distance. Similarly, warm colours appear closer, the cool colours appear to have receded further. This is how colours, their values, tints, shades and chromas create perceptual illusion.

  1. After Image

When we intensely stare at a particular colour for a while, the optical nerves get over-stimulated; the retina is strained and becomes inactive for a few seconds. For example, if we are staring at red colour, the cons responding to red colour become inactive due to fatigue. As a result, what we see for the next few seconds is the total effect of all the remaining light waves except the ones for red colour. Such a total effect is called ‘After Image’. This ‘After Image’ always comprises the complementary colour of the original one.

For example,

The after image of Red is Green.

The after image of Blue is Orange.

The after image of Yellow is Purple.

  1. Colour Simultaneous Contrast

French chemistry scientist Mr. M.E. Shevrul (1786-1899) was the head of the dyeing department. He researched and elaborated the concepts of colour scheme in his book “The principles of Harmony and contrast of colour” which was published in 1839.

He stated the theory of multiple colour schemes e.g. opposite, similar and triangular in this book. The important study he made and explained in the book is when we put colour near to each other or arrange in a manner then they affect each other.

He found this effect in following three ways:

A. Simultaneous Contrast – When we see 2 adjacent or nearest colours at the same time, the visual effect of colours on each other is called simultaneous contrast. He said this contrast is when 2 scales of multiple tones of the same colour or with the same tone of multiple colours have been seen at the same time then, there is slight change in visual effect to eyes. Primarily, this is the effect of brightness of the colour and secondarily effect of visual construction of keeping 2 colours nearer, For this he thought about the colours which kept nearer and shades under heading of “Simultaneous contrast of Brightness or Tone” or “Simultaneous contrast of Colours”.

A-1 Simultaneous contrast of Brightness or Tone: Because of bright colour, depth of dark colour gets increased and it draws more attention and because of dark colour there is addition in brightness of bright colour. The gray area appears comparatively dark on white background and brighter on dark background. In the below diagram two squares are there, one is white and another is black. In both the squares, the same bright shade of gray coloured arrows are shown. But there is a prominent difference in their visual effect.

The reason for this contrast is the background colour on which the arrows are placed. Both the squares are near to each other and hence the arrow on black background looks brighter than on white background, even though the same shade of gray is used. This gives the effect of depth to the gray colour on white background.

Multiple colours of different shades when kept nearer or together then because of this contrast effect, intensity of mixing to each other of colours changes or when different tones come together then their borders look more clear.

A-2 Simultaneous contrast of Colours: The impact of adjacent colours are there on each other and also the shade of the same colour looks different on the background of different shades. This means colour contrast. E.g. yellow circle when we see on white background and then same circle if we see on black background, then on black background it will look brighter and clear. Also in the above diagram, instead of gray arrows if we use blue coloured arrows, then the same colour contrast is created.

On white background, a blue coloured arrow looks darker but the same blue coloured arrow won’t look that much darker on black colour background.

Instead of black and white squares, if we use bright and dark colours and if we draw the arrow of dark colour on them, the dark coloured arrow on bright colour looks darker than on dark colour. Opposite to that, if we draw a bright coloured arrow, then a bright coloured arrow will look brighter on a dark coloured background than on a bright coloured background. This is called contrast because of adjacent colours.

Because of any specific hue or visual effect of colour, the response of the opposite colour of that colour is created. When we put two opposite colours near each other, then they look brighter than the original. For example, when we keep blue and orange colours near each other, then orange colour will look more orange and warmer, blue colour will look more blue and cold, than if we see blue and orange colours separately.

For example, if we keep yellow and orange colours near each other then because of the purple after image, the value of yellow colour hue of orange colour changes and it looks red. Similarly, because of blue after the image value of Orange colour, Yellow colour starts looking greenish.

When we see red and purple colours together then because of Green after image value of Red colour, (purple colour looks bluish and similarly Yellow after image value of Purple colour, red colour looks vermilion (similar shade of orange). In colour contrast, the effect of after image realises prominently.

B. Successive Contrast – If we see the colours separately in some time interval, then the visual effect of colours on each other is called successive contrast.

C. Mixed Contrast

It means perception of the same colour changes with the changing background. Colour simultaneous contrast means the mutual effect of adjacent colours on each other.

  1. All dark colours appear more prominent and impressive against the white background because of the contrast.
  2. All light colours appear more prominent against the black because of the contrast.
  3. Intensity of a colour is highest against its contrasting colour. So two complementary colours placed side by side look brighter than they really are.
  4. Surrounding hues affect each other. Each colour produces its contrasting colour which is superimposed on the adjoining colour and that colour appears to be different.
  5. Light colours against a light background without contrast appear less prominent than the same colours against the background having contrast.
  6. Dark colours against dark background having no contrast appear less prominent than the same colours against the background having contrast.
  7. A bright colour against the dull colour of the same hue, the dull colour appears still duller.
  8. Light colour against the dull colour of its contrasting hue intensifies the contrast.
  9. Dark colours against dark backgrounds without contrast stand out when surrounded by narrow strips of white or contrasting colour..
  10. Light colours against dark background without contrast stand out when surrounded by narrow strips of black or contrasting colour.
  11. The Black against White is comparatively more prominent than the White against Black. This is so because the white colour reflects, while the Black colour absorbs.

4.Visibility

Bright, normal and dim light, or darkness, affect the visibility of different coloured rays. By day, the yellow-green coloured lights have the maximum visibility; the Yellow has the lowest and Orange-Yellow lies in the middle of this visibility scale. But at night, the Blue-Green coloured rays are more distinctly visible.

We know that some colours appear to be closer, some seem to recede further, some colours lend the illusion of largeness to the objects, while some others make them look smaller. Wave-lengths of Red coloured light have less refraction than those of blue light.

So even if the red and blue objects are kept side by side, there is likely to be an error in our estimate of the distance between our eyes and those objects. Even if they are of the same size, the object having light bright and white colour appears to be larger and nearer. Hence, the Red object seems to be larger and nearer than the Blue one.

When it is pitch dark, the red light is clearly, distinctly and infallibly visible. That is why red lamps are used in the control rooms of aerodromes at night. They are also used in theaters and for vehicles. In terms of size and distance, yellow appears to be the nearest and largest by day. White, Red, Green, Blue and Black rank next on the scale and in the given order. In terms of actual perception, light and warm colours seem to lie in the foreground, compared to the cool and dark colours.

From the point of view of the coloured surface, yellow has more visibility. That is why Black letters on the Yellow background can be seen more easily and clearly. Such visibility of colours from a long distance has a very crucial importance in the realm of modern science of advertisement.

For this purpose, it is helpful to remember the following pairs:

  1. Yellow against Red
  2. Green against Black
  3. White against dark Green
  4. White against Blue
  5. Green against White
  6. Black against Orange
  7. Black against Yellow
  8. Yellow against Green
  9. White against Red
  10. Yellow against Brown
  11. light Blue against Black
  12. Black against light Green
  13. Yellow against dark Blue
  14. Crimson against faint Buff
  15. Black against faint Buff

Remember that the effect of the above mentioned pairs would depend upon the proportion of colours in each.

  1. Attention Power

Red-Orange colour ranks first in terms of its ability to capture attention. Red, Yellow-Orange, Yellow, Yellow-Green and others rank after that, in the respective order.

  1. Focussing

Focussing is not uniform on all the colours. The vision can focus clearly on certain colours, but not so distinctly on some others. Focusing on yellow colour is clear, but not so distinct on blue colour. This difference is evident while focussing the camera on Blue and Yellow colours.

  1. Normal colour

Normal colour does not undergo any change. It is used in its original form, in its inherent brightness or strength.

  1. Advancing Colours

The hues which create the illusion of moving forward which the observer feels very close to his eyes are called ‘advancing’ colours. Warm colours are more advanced than the cool ones. The intense warm colours in a picture seem to be leaving their place and moving forward. This is the visual sensation one gets. Even in a large crowd, the person wearing ochre or red coloured clothes captures our attention easily and instantly. When it is pitch dark, the reddish light of a cigar seems to be moving forward, even if the man smoking it hardly moves.

  1. Retiring Colours

The hues which seem to be moving backward, receding, vanishing into a distance are called retiring colours. They create an illusion of distance. The observer experiences the visual sensation of seeing something far off. Cool colours are retiring colours, especially the blue. An illusion of distance can be created by mixing blue with any other tinge and obtaining its tint. Far off mountains always look bluish.

  1. High key and Low key

When the overall proportion of high values or tints in the entire colour composition of a picture is more, that colour composition or picture is said to be in high key. Similarly, a design or a picture is said to be in low key when the overall proportion of low values or shades is more in its colour composition.

  1. Colour Wash

There are four main methods of using colour-wash.

a) Plain Wash

The thin wash is applied uniformly all over the paper. Both transparent and opaque colours can be used for this.

b) Graded Wash

Instead of applying uniformly, the wash is applied gradually through grades, ranging either from tints to shades or the other way round -from shades to tints. That is why it is known as ‘graded wash’.

c) Over Wash

For this, a thin wash is applied on the paper, like a plain wash. Then the second thin wash is applied on the first one.

d) Broken Wash

It involves neither uniformity nor gradation. Instead of regular patches, thin washes in one or more colours are applied one over another. For example, thin wash of blue over thin wash of red will look like Purple coloured wash.

Conclusion

There have been several experiments to determine which colour stands out more effectively and distinctly in the vicinity of which other colour. Their findings are very important for the commercial artist as he has to capture the attention of the public towards his advertisement picture. Pursuing a B.Des in Space and Interior Design can help boost your skills and knowledge to become a successful interior designer who understands the visual effects of colours.

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