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Art historian Susie Hodge and decorator Cameron Jones say artwork can influence mood through color, form and personal associations. They stress that responses are individual: a piece that feels calming or joyful to one person may unsettle another.
A Veranda report featuring art historian Susie Hodge and decorator Cameron Jones says artwork at home may shape how people feel, with color, lines and personal memories all influencing a viewer’s response. The experts say those effects are not universal, making personal preference a key consideration when choosing art for a room.
Hodge, author of How Art Can Change Your Life, says viewing art people find pleasing can produce a dopamine response. She compares the euphoric feeling some viewers experience with emotions associated with love. The report presents this as Hodge’s explanation, not as a claim that every artwork produces the same measurable effect in every person.
Jones, a Raleigh-based decorator, says she asks clients how they want to feel in a space before helping select its colors and artwork. In a bedroom, she suggests that greens, blues and muted neutrals may support a calm atmosphere; in a breakfast room, yellow may add energy. Art can introduce a color accent without requiring an entire wall or room to be painted in a strong shade.
The experts also discuss form. Jones says some clients feel calmer around abstract work with rounded shapes and soft lines. Hodge says gentle colors, smooth lines, circles and horizontal compositions can feel peaceful, while sharp angles, jagged lines and bold patterns may energize some viewers or make others anxious. These are observations about possible responses, not rules that predict how everyone will react.
Choosing Art for Everyday Moods
Artwork is part of the environment people encounter every day, so choosing it can be one way to shape the atmosphere of a home. The report’s practical point is that residents can think about a room’s purpose and the feelings they want it to support, then consider whether a piece’s colors, shapes or subject matter suit that aim.
That approach does not require a particular style or costly collection. Jones says art can add color to otherwise neutral furnishings, while Hodge’s examples range from abstract paintings to familiar everyday subjects. The experts’ advice is to pay attention to your own response, rather than assume a design trend or general color association will work for every household.
The distinction matters because the report does not establish art as a treatment for mental-health conditions. It describes possible emotional reactions and design choices. A calming painting may make a room feel more restful for one person, but it is not a substitute for professional care when someone needs it.
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Personal History Shapes Interpretation
The report frames emotional responses to art as partly subjective. Hodge says people bring their own experiences to what they see; a painting that feels beautiful to one viewer might remind someone else of an unpleasant place or period. Jones similarly describes art’s meaning as personal, shaped by memories and imagination.
It also cites artists whose work offers examples of deliberate color choices. Hodge says Agnes Martin intended her painting Night Sea to prompt calm and positive thoughts, and describes Henri Matisse as believing that colors could affect viewers. Mark Rothko, she says, sought to express basic human emotions through large, layered fields of color and noted that some viewers cried in front of his work. These accounts describe artists’ aims and reported reactions; they do not show that all viewers respond alike.
For inspiration, Hodge points to Andy Warhol’s depiction of Campbell’s soup, which she says he ate regularly. Her example suggests that familiar or ordinary subjects can become art, and that meaning need not depend on an imposing subject or a single accepted interpretation.
“When we see art that we find pleasing, it gives us a dopamine rush.”
— Susie Hodge, art historian and author
How Individual Responses Differ
The report does not provide study details, sample sizes or measurements establishing how often particular colors or forms produce specific emotional effects. It relies on expert perspectives, design experience and examples from artists’ lives and work. The evidence presented therefore does not show that a color or style will reliably create a particular mood.
It is also unclear how much a response comes from the artwork itself versus a viewer’s memories, expectations, culture or the surrounding room. The experts explicitly acknowledge that personal associations can change interpretation. Their suggestions are best understood as ideas to test against one’s own preferences, not fixed prescriptions.
Try Art in the Room
The report does not announce a new study or set out a formal next milestone. Its advice is practical: consider how a room is used, identify the mood you would like it to support, and notice which artworks make you feel comfortable, energized or reflective. A small piece can be a way to test a color or style before making larger decorating decisions.
For readers, the next step is personal rather than scientific: observe how a piece feels in its intended setting and allow for the possibility that the response may change. The report provides no evidence that a specific artwork or palette will have the same effect on everyone.
Key Questions
Can art affect how you feel at home?
According to art historian Susie Hodge and decorator Cameron Jones, art may influence mood through color, shape and personal associations. The report also stresses that individual responses differ.
What kinds of art may feel calming?
Jones says some clients feel calmer around abstract works with rounded shapes and softer lines. Hodge points to soft colors, smooth lines, circles and horizontal emphasis as qualities that may feel peaceful, while noting that reactions are not universal.
Which colors should I choose for a bedroom?
Jones suggests that greens, blues and muted shades such as cream, white and taupe may suit a calm bedroom. These are design suggestions, not guaranteed effects; personal taste and associations matter.
Does the report prove that art improves mental health?
No. The report shares expert perspectives on possible emotional responses and examples of artists’ intentions. It does not present research establishing that art at home treats mental-health conditions.
Source: veranda.com
