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An article in Veranda reports that art historians and interior designers see color, form and personal associations as factors that can influence how people feel in their homes. The experts stress that responses are individual, and the report does not present new clinical research establishing that particular artworks reliably produce specific emotional effects.
Art displayed at home may shape how a room feels, but its emotional effect depends on both its visual qualities and the viewer’s personal associations, according to art historian Susie Hodge and decorator Cameron Jones in a report published by Veranda. Their comments offer practical guidance for choosing artwork while underscoring that color and style do not produce the same response in everyone.
Hodge, the author of How Art Can Change Your Life, said that seeing art a person finds pleasing can trigger a dopamine response. She compared the strong pleasure some people experience to the feelings associated with looking at someone they love. The report presents this as Hodge’s explanation, not as a finding from a new study included in the article.
Jones, a Raleigh-based decorator, said she asks clients how they want to feel in a room before making design choices. She described greens, blues and pale neutral colors as possible choices for a restful bedroom, while suggesting that yellow artwork could bring an energizing accent to a breakfast room. Art can add color without requiring a room to have brightly colored walls, she said.
The report also discusses visual qualities beyond color. Jones said clients often find abstract works with rounded shapes and softer lines calming. Hodge described soft colors, smooth lines, circles and horizontal compositions as qualities that can feel peaceful to some viewers, while sharp angles, jagged lines and strong patterns may feel energizing or unsettling. Both emphasized that these are tendencies, not universal rules.
Choosing Art for Everyday Rooms
The report matters to readers because artwork is often chosen for appearance, investment or personal significance, yet it can also contribute to the atmosphere people want from a room. A person planning a bedroom, shared living area or dining space may use art to introduce color or visual energy without changing paint, furniture or other major features.
That guidance is best treated as a starting point rather than a prescription. The source does not show that a particular color or shape will reliably create a particular mood, and it does not offer clinical advice. People’s memories and preferences can outweigh broad design suggestions. A painting that feels soothing to one household member may be distracting or unpleasant to another.
For people sharing a home, the report points toward a practical approach: choose art based on how occupants actually respond to it, rather than assuming that designers’ general color associations apply to everyone. That can make art a relatively flexible way to adjust a room’s character while keeping the decision personal.
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Personal Response Shapes Interpretation
Veranda’s report draws on comments from Hodge and Jones, along with examples of artists whose work uses color in distinctive ways. Hodge discussed Agnes Martin’s blue painting Night Sea, which is on display at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. According to Hodge, Martin aimed to help viewers move toward calmer, more positive thoughts.
The article also refers to Henri Matisse’s belief that colors could affect people, quoting his statement that “a certain blue enters your soul” and that “a certain red has an effect on your blood pressure.” It describes Mark Rothko as an artist who sought to express basic human emotions through large areas of layered color; Hodge said some viewers cried when facing his paintings. These examples illustrate artists’ aims and reported audience reactions, rather than proving a uniform effect.
Hodge also used Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup imagery to discuss inspiration in ordinary subjects. The report says Warhol explained that he depicted the soup because he ate it regularly. The examples support the article’s broader point: art’s meaning can come from its form, the artist’s intention and the viewer’s own experience.
“When we see art that we find pleasing, it gives us a dopamine rush.”
— Susie Hodge, art historian and author of How Art Can Change Your Life
Mood Effects Are Not Universal
The report does not provide study methods, participant numbers or measurements that would establish how consistently particular artworks affect mood. Its claims draw on expert commentary, design experience and historical examples. It is not clear from the supplied material whether the dopamine explanation is based on research cited elsewhere in Hodge’s work.
Individual reactions also remain unpredictable. Hodge said personal experiences shape interpretation, while Jones noted that art can call up memories and ideas. The report does not establish that certain colors or shapes will have the same effects across cultures, households or circumstances, and it offers no clinical recommendations for treating emotional or mental-health conditions.
Use Suggestions as Starting Points
The source material describes no scheduled follow-up study, policy decision or other pending development. For readers choosing art, the experts’ comments suggest observing how a piece feels in the room where it will hang and considering the people who use that space. A small artwork or color accent can be tested before making broader design changes.
Further evidence would be needed to determine how reliably specific artistic features influence mood beyond individual reactions. Until then, the report’s clearest practical takeaway is to treat general design advice as a guide and let the household’s own response shape the final choice.
Key Questions
Can art affect how a room feels?
Hodge and Jones say art can contribute to a room’s mood through color, shape and personal associations. The report also stresses that responses differ among viewers.
What kinds of art might feel calming?
Jones said some clients feel calmer around abstract art with rounded shapes and softer lines. Hodge also associated soft colors, smooth lines, circles and horizontal compositions with peaceful feelings, while noting that reactions are personal.
Should I choose art based on room color rules?
Color suggestions can be a starting point, not a rule. The experts’ comments indicate that a person’s preferences and memories may matter more than a general association between a color and a mood.
Does the report prove that art improves mental health?
No. The report offers expert commentary and examples but does not present clinical research showing that artwork treats mental-health conditions or produces the same emotional effect for everyone.
Source: veranda.com
