How to Choose Paint Colors a Color Blind Person Can Enjoy

Many of us take the ability to see a wide range of colors for granted. Not everyone has this ability which can pose a challenge when trying to decorate in colors. Here are some tips, ideas and suggestions on how to go about choosing colors that are as appealing for a color blind person as they are for an individual who isn't.

Types of Color Blindness

The term "color blindness" sometimes gives the wrong impression. People with this type of vision problem do have the ability to see colors, but the way they see the colors is distorted. A more accurate description of this vision impairment is color-deficient vision, but the average population refers to it as color blindness.

There are a few different types of color blindness: protanopia/protanomalia, deuteranopia/ deuteranomalia and tritanopi/tritanomalia. Protanopia/protanomalia are both conditions that affect the individual's ability to see red. They are the second most common type of color blindness. Deuteranopia/ deuteranomalia are the most common types of color blindness and involve a difficulty seeing shades of green. Tritanopi/tritanomalia are the least common forms of color-vision deficiencies and affects the ability to see blue.

Shades of One Color

If you know the color-vision deficiency a person has, you can decorate using the colors they can see. Choosing paint color can be more challenging if you're not aware of the specific type of color blindness. It's safe to stay away from all greens, reds or blue colors. You can pick one color and create visual appeal with several hues of that color. Experiment with the shades with paint and room accessories.

Basic Black and White

A basic black and white color scheme can look very contemporary. Paint an accent wall black and the other walls a shade of white or yellow-based cream to warm up the room. Area rugs, throw pillows, drapes and furniture can all be black and white or off-white. Sometimes choosing a basic black and white scheme can make a room look cold, so warm it up with real or artificial plants and splashes of color. The color blind person may not be able to see the color of the plants correctly, but other individuals who visit the room will. Just be sure to choose an assortment of colors for accessories.

If painting a room in basic black or white, you can liven up the walls by using textured paper and painting over it to make them more visually appealing to all people. Faux finishing techniques can also create visual drama when color can't be used.