Psychology of Color: How Do I Know What Colors to Choose?
BWS Design • June 17, 2016

Decorating your home is fun and exciting. The way you choose to decorate not only showcases your personality, it can also affect your mood and the overall atmosphere of your home. Color plays an important role in your interior design, and choosing the right color for your walls, ceilings, and accents (like blinds) will make your home inviting and relaxing. You probably know exactly what your favorite colors are, but you’re not sure if those will be right for your home. You’re asking yourself “How do I know what colors to choose?” Color psychology can be very helpful when choosing the best colors for your interior design. Take a peek at these popular colors and how they affect your mood and the atmosphere of your home:

1. Red. Red is a vibrant, exciting color. Red is very intense and creates an energetic atmosphere. This warm color is great for rooms used for entertaining, such as the living and dining rooms. Red also makes a powerful first impression, so it is well-suited for areas such as entryways. Research shows that red can raise blood pressure and heart rates, so it should be avoided in bedrooms and areas where you would like to relax.

2. Yellow. If you are looking for a color that exudes happiness, yellow is for you. Yellow is bright, happy, and can help a small room appear more spacious. Yellow is best used in kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, and small spaces, where it creates a welcoming atmosphere. Although yellow is generally a happy color, it is not a good choice for large living areas–studies show that too much yellow can create frustration. This color has often been a popular choice for baby nurseries, however, recent research shows that the color yellow actually makes babies cry.

3. Blue. Need to de-stress? Blue is the color for you. Blue has a calming effect that creates a tranquil, relaxing atmosphere. This color has the opposite effect of red–blue is found to lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate, making it an excellent choice for bedrooms. Beware of using too much of an icy blue color, as it can make a room feel cold and unwelcoming. Pair these pastel blues with warm hues in other furnishings and accents. Bright, warmer blues (like turquoise and teal) in soft shades work well as main colors. Avoid very dark blues as they can create a depressing atmosphere.

4. Green. Green is a great color for any room. Combining the best elements of both blue and yellow (the happiness and warmth of yellow with the calming effect of blue), it creates a relaxing atmosphere that is also warm and inviting. A bright and cheery green is great in kitchens and bathrooms, while a deeper shade works well in living areas and bedrooms.

5. Purple. Another secondary color, purple combines elements of both red and blue. Purple has always been the color of royalty, so it creates a majestic atmosphere. This color exudes the warmth of red while remaining calming like blue. Light shades of purple are great for main colors, as they create a tranquil atmosphere without the drawback of feeling cold like the wrong blue. Richer shades of purple are fantastic for accents and furnishings, and they create a feeling of luxury.

6. Orange. Orange, much like red, is bright and enthusiastic. This color gets your blood pumping and creates an energetic atmosphere. For this reason, it’s not the best choice for a bedroom or a large living area–it works best in an exercise room or a kids’ play room.

7. Black/White/Gray. These neutral colors are important to every design scheme. Large doses of white can make a room feel very clean, crisp, and fresh, but it can also feel a bit cold and stark. Too much gray feels drab, while too much black is just, well, too much. The trick is to use neutral colors to highlight and draw attention to the rest of the colors in the room.

Understanding what effect color can have on your mood is very helpful when choosing a color scheme for your interior design. Your home should be a place where you feel comfortable and choosing the right color for each room can improve your mood considerably. The right colors will also help your guests feel warm and welcome. Please feel free to  contact us  to learn more about choosing colors for your home decor.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

Performing Routine Maintenance On Your Exterior Shades: Everything You Need to Know

July 24, 2025
Outdoor shades are wonderful additions to your home. Not only do they allow you to enjoy mornings and evenings on your porch or patio in comfort, but they also protect you from some of the harshest side effects of the sun, including excessive UV exposure , which can lead to serious health consequences over time. If you have exterior shades installed, one of the best ways to protect your investment and ensure that your outdoor shades stand the test of time, protecting you and your family over the long haul, is to institute a routine cleaning and maintenance plan. How Often Should You Clean And Maintain Your Exterior Shades? Because needs will always vary by season and climate, it's best to visually inspect your exterior shades once a month. If you see any buildup of dust or pollen, or any obvious maintenance issues, address them immediately. At least once per quarter, you should also schedule a thorough cleaning and maintenance check. Every three months, around the time the seasons change, schedule a day to clean and thoroughly check your blinds for any routine maintenance. Particularly if you live in the Southeast, we recommend scheduling thorough cleaning and maintenance in January, April, July, and October. 3 Steps to Cleaning Your Home's Exterior Shades First, start by thoroughly cleaning your exterior shades. Step 1: Gather your cleaning supplies. You will need the following: A bucket and a mild cleaning agent A hose and water supply A soft brush or broom A soft cloth When it comes to your cleaning agent, be sure to avoid any solutions with harsh chemicals. If you haven't received information on any manufacturer-specific suggestions, we recommend using a mild dish soap diluted in water. Step 2: Dust away dirt and debris. Using your soft brush or broom, gently remove all excess buildup of dust, dirt, and debris. Make note of any trouble spots that will need more extensive cleaning. Step 3: Thoroughly clean your exterior shades. Begin by testing your cleaning solution in a small, hidden area. If you see any strong reaction, including erosion or discoloration, stop immediately and seek more information. Only if your shades respond well should you proceed with a full cleaning. Start by using your hose to gently rinse your exterior shades from top to bottom. Next, using your soft cloth, clean the shades, removing all accumulations of dirt and grime. After a final rinse with the hose, allow the shades to air dry in the sun. If necessary, repeat this step until your shades are fully clean. What Routine Maintenance Issues Should You Check For As You Clean? As you clean your exterior shades, keep your eyes peeled for any routine maintenance issues that may need to be addressed. Trouble spots to watch out for include the following: Fading color. Though color fading in itself is not an emergency, it can show that your exterior shades are beginning to show wear and tear. Assess the extent of the damage and consult with Just Blinds to evaluate the projected longevity of your current shades. Sagging shades. Sagging shades don't necessarily need to be replaced, but they may need to be re-tensioned. Check the external hardware and see if anything needs to be tightened up or replaced. Rips, tears, gaps, or holes. No matter how small, these issues need to be addressed immediately. Addressing these issues early can prevent the damage from growing, preventing more costly repairs down the line. Buy a patch kit and follow the instructions for sealing up any trouble spots. Just Blinds Is Here to Help  To hear more about how to maintain your exterior shades, or to learn more about how outdoor shades can add value to your home and help you better enjoy your outdoor living areas by reducing heat, offering increased privacy, and lowering your UV exposure, feel free to contact us . We look forward to serving you.

5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat With Eye-Catching Window Treatments

June 18, 2025
When the mercury soars, never underestimate the power of blinds, shades, and other window treatments to keep your living space cool. With the techniques that follow, you can limit demand on your air conditioner, lower your energy bill, and maintain stunning aesthetics both inside and out. 1. Go For the Layered Look If you don't want blackout blinds that completely block out light and heat, consider layering your window treatments for the summer months. This is a great way to add depth and texture to your rooms while still maintaining a tight home envelope and limiting solar heat gains. Use wood or faux wood blinds to create a solid base layer. Then, add sheers and custom curtains to finish the look. Layering creates levels of flexibility and adaptability that single window treatments cannot match. You can close all three layers for maximum heat blocking, slant your blinds and close your sheers to let limited sunlight in, or open your drapes and your blinds and use your sheers for light filtering. 2. Beat the Heat With Outdoor Window Treatments Some of the best window treatments for blocking heat and light during the summer months belong on the outside of your home. If you haven't done so already, consider investing in shutters. Shutters can vastly improve the efficiency of your home while providing excellent UV ray protection. This will keep your flooring and furnishings from fading while offering a fair amount of skin protection. In addition to tightening home envelopes, shutters provide excellent noise reduction and offer added protection against the natural elements. With your shutters standing guard as your home's first defense, you'll still have one or more window treatments at the interior of the building during the next big heat wave. Outdoor Shades Work, Too If shutters aren't the right look for you, opt for lightweight, retractable shades. Installing outdoor shades gives you yet another way to safeguard your home from solar heat gains whenever temperatures spike. You can use outdoor shades with layered indoor window treatments to create an airtight space and reduce stress on your AC during the hottest portion of the day. Once the sun sets, you can easily draw them open. 3. Optimize Airflow According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be up to five time more contaminated than outdoor air. Even though air conditioners and heat pumps filter the indoor air during operation, they don't extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other gaseous chemical contaminants. When the sun's out and you're running your air conditioner non-stop, all the contaminants introduced into your home by off-gassing building materials, cooking, room freshening sprays, and chemical-laden self-care products and cleaners remain trapped indoors. Blinds are great for optimizing airflow. When the sun sets, the mercury dives, and a cool breeze rolls in, you can turn your blind slats upwards to reflect light from the setting sun and slightly crack your windows. This technique works well for giving ACs an early evening break. It's also an excellent strategy for improving indoor air quality (IAQ). As natural light decreases, you can open your blind slats wider and let more fresh, outdoor air flow in. This easy air exchange will get your home and your IAQ ready for the challenges of the next sweltering day. 4. Keep Indoor Moisture in Check With Shades With a high-functioning air conditioner or heat pump, you'll get reliable humidity regulation whenever your cooling system is on. The right shades can support this by keeping outdoor moisture outside and preventing the buildup of condensation on your windows. Cellular shades are made for high-moisture areas, and they're the perfect addition to any other southern home. You can get similar benefits from faux wood blinds, vinyl blinds, and aluminum blinds. Moisture-resistant blinds or shades are an essential upgrade if you currently have heavy fabric drapes or multiple layers of sheers. Some materials capture and retain moisture. They're also prone to problems like mold and mildew and can lower IAQ as a result. 5. Go Motorized Don't worry about dragging your ladder out to draw your outdoor shades or running through your home to manually adjust your blinds. Shop for motorized window treatments that you can open, close, and adjust with just the touch of a button. This way, as lighting and temperatures change, you can quickly adapt your window treatments to reflect your most current needs. At Just Blinds, we're all about comfort. We want your window treatments to look amazing, but believe that you should feel amazing too. We offer a fantastic selection of blinds, shutters, shades, and custom draperies to help our clients beat the heat in the summer months . Let us help you stay cool in style. To speak with our design consultants, contact Just Blinds today!