There are several paint colors that have traditionally been considered to be feminine and therefore interior design specialists have stayed away from them opting for more gender neutral colors. However, there have been several color studies done over the years that indicate that some of these differences in color preference can be attributed to how colors are used in a culture. There are not set in stone types of rules that state some colors are feminine, masculine or gender neutral. One person may like light blue but dislike dark, navy blue. But there are some generalizations that can be made about which colors are preferred by women when it comes to interior design.
Greens
As a general rule, women like using green in interior design projects. Perhaps it is the association of green with a female image of Mother Nature. Green is soothing and restful; it is a primary choice in paint colors when a woman wants to create an atmosphere where she can be renewed and feel like she is able to thrive in a healthy environment. There are many shades of green any of which can be great choices for interior painting projects. Lime green has been a favored paint color for bathrooms for many years and many women prefer to use at least some green like apple green or olive green in the interior design scheme in kitchen areas.
Shades of Purple
Women tend to like to use purple for interior painting projects. Even though men as a general rule do not prefer purples, it is traditionally associated with romance, mysterious and is considered a spiritual color. Deep purple like eggplant or plums are paint colors often used in kitchen areas, at least as an accent. Perhaps it is a woman’s romantic tendencies that choose it for bedrooms. Women also tend to prefer lighter shades of purple like lavender. It is kind of a “grown-up” version of baby girl pink.
Cool Colors
Studies have shown that women typically prefer the cooler colors and this could explain why so many of the latest interior design fashions for women have made a return to adding turquoise to the list of favorite paint colors for women. Turquoise is a unique blend of two cool colors, green and blue. Modern bathroom design has begun to incorporate various shades of turquoise. Aquamarine, teal and beryl are some of the favorite bathroom paint colors used by women.
Women’s Preferences
Of course this does not mean that women will prefer to decorate every room of the house using cool, soft pastel paint colors. Some of the recent polls which asked women what their favorite colors to use for interior design revealed that they preferred three colors. All three of the chosen colors are considered cool colors: blue, purple and green. What were women’s least favorite colors for interior design? Warm or neutral colors: orange, brown and gray. Women prefer interior design projects which use the cool colors and then like to compliment them with some of the neutral colors, as a general rule.