Ch25. Unwrapping CMF Design on Color Psychology

Logics for design proposals can be easily established with the M (material) and F (finishing) of CMF, based on the rationality of process, cost, production feasibility, etc.

In contrast, the C (color) in CMF is often regarded as a subjective personal choice. (中文版)

CMF is a specific discipline within industrial design that focuses on the development of a product’s color, material, and finish. Unwrap CMF shares bite-sized stories of CMF Design to inform and inspire those interested in this niche yet fascinating field, with digestible contents for anyone and everyone.

That is not exactly wrong. It’s true that we all have different color preferences. That’s why when brand companies launch products, the first SKU is often a mainstream color to ensure sales, such as black, silver, blue (varies by industry). Sometimes they would call this a “safe color”, often a choice of color which consumers can gladly accept if their personal favorite is not available.

Though we have our own preferences, color can trigger a range of diverse emotions. Color is also often used to describe mood, such as Monday Blue.

Many psychological studies have pointed out that tablet colors can promote diverse emotions such as stimulant or sedative effects.

Color psychology is no myth. Scientists have been studying the emotional impacts behind each color. Most research findings can be traced back to our surrounding environment: subconsciously, we would associate white with brightness, black with shadowy darkness, red with fiery fire, and so on.

Here is another famous example: most food are in warmer colors (yellow, red, green, orange, etc.). Blue is relatively rare in food, and therefore it is discovered that blue does not trigger appetite like others, hence its seldom usage by the food industry.

Most food are in warm tones, therefore appetite is less triggered by blue shades, hence its rare use by the food industry.

What does that mean for CMF Designers? Because color psychology is science, it can be used to strengthen the persuasiveness of a design proposal. For example, when designing kitchenware, we can use color psychology as a rationale to lessen the use of blue as an option. That is a new perspective besides our aesthetic view, and is especially valuable when communicating with non-design peers💯

Needless to explain why blue hints freedom in color psychology.

These two books can take readers to explore further with colors, including the basics and application of color psychology.

Enjoy learning? Use the CMF terminologies mentioned above and continue on with your own research journey on the web. Comments and inspirations are welcome!
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