ABSTRACT

The impact of colour preference of paints used in home decoration, a study of Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. The specific objectives of the study was to determine the colour preferences of paints utilized by interior designers for different parts of the rooms, investigate the types of paints available in the market for home decorations, examine the factors affecting the choice of colour preference of paints utilized by interior designers and to determine the effects of different colour preferences on choice of paint used in home decorations. Data was collected with the aid of a well structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling was used in the study. The questionnaires were administered to decorators, builders and painting artisans in Oboro, Ibere Ariam-Ushaka and O/oko clans all in Jkwuano Local Government Area of Abia State with the help of two research assistants. The statistical tools used for data analysis were frequency, mean and percentages (%). Frequency and percentage (%) was used to organize the demographic data of the students while mean was used to analyze the responses IO the research question. Among the major findings of the study was that there is significant difference among the factors affecting the choice of colour of paints utilized by designers and the effects of colour preferences on choice of paints used in home decorations in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. The study revealed that blue was most preferred for living room while white was most preferred by the respondents for bed rooms. For the kitchen and bath cream and blue was most preferred by the respondents. The study further identified the factors that affects the choice of colour preference pf paints utilized by interior designers as cost purpose of the decoration, customer perception on colours, cultural believes, religious believes educational background, peer pressure, weather conditions, colour frequently used by interior designers, social status, marital status and gender. Also, the study identified satin paints, enamel paints, text coat paints, emulsion paints and oil paints as the types of paints available in the market for interior decoration. Finally, the findings of the study revealed that blue colour connotes wealth, trust. and sincerity, red represents love, romance, spirituality or diabolic exploits while white colour stands for light, goodness, innocence, purity, safety, purity, and cleanliness. The study recommended that entrepreneurial education on interior and exterior decorations should be pursued with vigor in all colleges of education and other tertiary institutions where Home Economics is offered.