Silently Signaling With Colour

Cultures have meanings that they link to particular hues—so if you’ll be sharing a space with someone from a different part of the planet, it’s good to get their input on colours you intend to use before you purchase any paint, fabrics, or wall coverings.  

Here a some of the more universal and useful associations to particular colours which you might like to try for yourself.

People from many parts of the world link seeing shades of blue to trustworthiness, dependability, and competence, so blues can be good colours to use inside a home if you’re trying to sell it.  Blue can be a good colour for the wall behind you during video calls with clients.  In some countries, blue is associated with masculinity and in others with femininity. 

We link red to both danger and love, an interesting combination. 

Green brings to mind ideas of harmony, nature, health, and growth, worldwide.  Blue is more closely linked to environmental responsibility than green, however. 

White is the colour of death and mourning in the Far East, while black plays the same role in the Western world. Black also cues thoughts of formality, elegance, sophistication, power/authority, and evil.  Worldwide white has been tied to purity.

 Seeing yellow often brings the sun to mind, so it’s not surprising that it makes many people think of joy, which is not the same as saying they feel joyful while looking at it, however.

Using more and lighter colours raises thoughts of femininity while use of fewer and darker colours cues masculinity.

Countries regularly claim particular colours as their own—use these colours, or not, as you dare and as your geography allows.  For instance, the Dutch have a strong association to the colour orange.