How to Create a Mood With Color

Ask yourself, "'How do I want to feel?'" says Leslie Harrington, an interior designer and color consultant in Greenwich, Conn. "As a designer, that's the first question I ask. Once I know that, I can start using color to support it." What color you choose to paint your kitchen, for example, should depend on the role the kitchen plays in your life.

Design Tip:
"If you love to cook and spend a lot of family time in the kitchen, you may want the warmth of peaches and terra cottas and soft golds, which are all energetic, warm, nurturing and fun," says Melanie Wood, an interior designer and color consultant in Knoxville, Tenn. Designer Lori Dennis uses the color yellow in this kitchen for that very purpose. "However, if you want quiet time to heat up your take-out after a busy day at work, you may prefer the tranquility and serenity of soft grays, blues and greens," Wood says.