Our Five Design Love Languages | No. 01 Loads of Color

Our ode to color—  

—is vast and deep, with seemingly no limit on the reasons why we sing the praises of this interior design element. If you ever studied color theory, you know that there’s something called “color psychology” behind every hue in the rainbow. Think about that, simply seeing a color can elicit strong emotions within a human being. Every color on the color wheel corresponds to a feeling. Red is notorious as the color of love, desire, and passion, but it also represents emotions as a whole and encourages a sense of camaraderie and friendship. Softer shades of green bring feelings of comfort and relaxation, while darker green shades can feel invigorating, promoting growth and restoration.  

Apart from the incredible power color has over the art of being human, here at Studio McGee we love that the color itself can be the art. More simply put, you can dramatically change the vibe of a room by painting a part of it, the walls, the ceiling, or a two-tone room accenting wainscoting or wallpaper.  

The color palette you choose can make a space feel dark and moody, or light, bright, and airy. Shea and the designers at Studio McGee love to incorporate loads of color in more subtle ways, from a whole range of blues in one space to a repeated colorful print from the walls to the pillows. Color is one of the most powerful tools in interior design. Below, some of our favorite Shea McGee-designed and/or -styled moments that bring loads of color in the muted palette way that oh-so Studio McGee. 

One thing I’ve become known for at Studio McGee is my love for clean, white walls. While I still love this organic, fresh feel in a space, I also love layering in a kaleidoscope of colors—there’s a time and place for both. My favorite element of incorporating color into design is that it doesn’t have to be bright, saturated tones, you can utilize every color in the rainbow but in a more muted palette. This achieves a sophisticated look, while still being color-drenched.

Shea McGee