Whether we realize it or not, colors can have a significant impact on our moods and behaviors. This is why it’s so important to choose the right interior painting colors for your home. Everyone has different preferences, of course. Some people might feel relaxed in a taupe living room while others might enjoy an energizing red kitchen. Of course, we aren’t always the only members of a household. Dogs, cats, and other pets may react to a home’s colors, too. But how, exactly?
How Do Pets See?
Pets don’t see the world the way that humans do. There is a lot of variance among human vision capacity, but at maximum functionality, the human eye can make out up to 10 million colors. Dogs, on the other hand, see a much more limited spectrum. Their world looks a bit duller, lacking brighter greens, oranges, and reds. While dogs don’t see in binary black and white, they mostly see in grays, blues, and yellows. Cats, like dogs, also see fewer colors than humans can. They do, however, see in the dark quite well, an important adaptation for hunting.
Birds, on the other hand, see many colors. This makes sense, considering the importance of male bird coloration for mating purposes. Scientists also discovered that many bird species can even see ultraviolet light, which is beyond what human eyes can see. This supposedly helps them better avoid predators, find mates, and locate food.
What Does this Mean?
While researchers still have a ways to go before determining exactly how different colors affect pets, we can still speculate. Since dogs and cats don’t see the bright, saturated colors humans can, we can assume that gaudy colors like pink, bright red, or green don’t have much of an effect on these pets. They might alter the moods and behaviors of birds, however.
Certain shades of blue and yellow, however, might stand out for dogs and cats. They might gravitate towards a living room painted yellow and/or blue, for instance. These house painting colors might stimulate their senses a bit more than those colors that fall outside their visible spectrum, making them more playful or energetic.
It’s important to note, however, that just because some pets can’t see certain colors doesn’t mean that these colors can’t affect them. There is a lot we still don’t know about how pets see or experience the world. We also don’t know with any certainty how colors (both seen and unseen) affect the human brain. It could be that scents or sounds have a much larger impact on a pet’s behavior than colors.
What Colors are Best, Then?
The residential painting colors you choose remains a subjective choice. Obviously, your pets can’t tell you which colors they enjoy and which they’d rather avoid. If you know your pet well, you might find that certain colors or stimuli have certain effects on their mood. If that’s the case, you can make a more informed decision when hiring painting services. Experienced home painters might also have some input and anecdotal evidence to support a certain color scheme over another. It’s always a good idea to consult them if you’re ever uncertain.
All American Painting Plus, Inc. has over 25 years of experience painting homes for people and their pets. Give us a call at 703-620-5563 or email us at info@aapplus.com for more information!
