Decorating

Secrets:

How light effects color

Light is comprised of varying highs and lows  of wavelengths of Light. The Wave length of Color determines its strength and the energy it exudes. What you see in the rainbow are the wavelengths of the visible colors. This visible spectrum of light are the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. White light from the sun is made up of all the colors which are recognizable for their wavelengths.  Some waves exists above and below the visible spectrum, such as radio, microwave or infrared being below the red end of the spectrum. Ultraviolet, xrays, and gamma rays are above the violet wave and cannot be seen by the human eye.  

Decorating Secrets about Light Transfer

Wavelengths of light can be reflected, absorbed or transmitted. An object has color because of  the light it reflects; all other colors are absorbed into that object. A leaf  green because it reflects green light.  We can see color as our eyes have light and color receptors. The rod receptors reflect light and the cone receptors reflect color.  

Decorating Secrets Impacted by Color factors

The impact of color depends on three factors; hue, saturation, and luminance.  Hue is the actual color, saturation is how pure the hue or color is and luminance describes if the color is light or dark. One of the most important decorating secrets to know is that contrasting colors; colors opposite the color wheel from each other; ie, red to green, compliment each other and enhance the color of both. These colors have very different wave lengths of color therefore bring this contrast to our eye's interest.  Using contrasting colors is a key to developing decorating secrets. .