Unlock Your Silent Advantage: The Psychology of Color (Power Hour Recap)

On September 24, 2025, Women In the Floorcovering Industry (WIFI) hosted a Power Hour that turned a familiar topic, color, into something much deeper: how color psychology can shape perception, trust, and confidence in our professional lives.

Hosted by Jennifer Roundtree (Universal Fibers and WIFI Professional Development Committee), this month’s session featured Courtney Petruzzelli, designer, consultant, and owner of Commercial Flooring Services in Huntsville, Alabama. Petruzzelli brought decades of experience in film, television, and interiors—and a contagious enthusiasm for the science behind why color matters.

“There’s so much science behind it, and I feel like any advantage that us women can have in the marketplace is just a powerful tool for us,” said Petruzzelli. “Not to mention, it’s a fun thing to get to do.”

Why color is your “silent advantage”
Petruzzelli began with the neuroscience: what we see when we look at color is more than aesthetics—it’s emotion in motion.

“Our brain is subconsciously making assumptions of trust within milliseconds of seeing a person, long before they utter a word.”

She explained how light wavelengths trigger responses in the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls emotion and instinct. Color literally changes how others feel around us—and even how we feel about ourselves.

That’s why, she said, “wearing our ideal shades can make us seem more approachable, more poised, more confident, more trustworthy.”

From color theory to confidence
Drawing from her background in design, Petruzzelli guided attendees through what she calls the “architecture of emotion”: how each hue creates a psychological response.

• Blue conveys calm and reliability. “It’s a really good choice for interviews or important meetings,” she explained.

• Red heightens energy and focus. “It motivates not just us to act, but it motivates the person on the opposite side to act.”WIFI Power Hour - Unlock Your S…

• Black, though powerful, isn’t universal. “Winters are the only season that can create harmony in the system wearing black,” Petruzzelli noted. For others, deep navy or charcoal may have the same strength—without the fatigue effect.

She also pointed out the subtle science: when someone’s colors “clash” with their undertones, their energy and their appearance send mixed messages. “If you’ve had people ask, ‘Are you tired?’ when you felt completely fine,” she laughed. “What happened is you were likely just wearing a color out of your season.”

The four seasons of color
Each person, Petruzzelli explained, fits into one of four “color seasons” based on skin undertone and contrast—not hair or eye color.

“Autumns have warm, rich undertones. Springs are bright and golden. Summers are cool and soft. Winters are bold, high-contrast, and vibrant.

These palettes create harmony between natural features and wardrobe. “When we wear our right colors,” she said, “it actually enhances our professional appearance.

To prove the point, Petruzzelli shared side-by-side images of celebrities in and out of their palettes—Julia Roberts, Michelle Obama, and Angelina Jolie among them. The difference was immediate. “Every neuron in our brain lights up when someone is in their harmonious colors,” she said. “That’s why somebody in their best palette doesn’t just look better—they project more confidence, and others tend to resonate with it.

Color, emotion, and the limbic connection
Petruzzelli cited research from color psychology that shows how visual harmony impacts how we’re perceived—and how we connect.

“Our brains automatically relax, we trust, we start to connect,” she said. “The right colors produce smooth processing in our brain, and the wrong colors create cognitive dissonance.

In other words: when your colors work, your communication does too.

Beyond wardrobe: branding, space, and mindset
Petruzzelli didn’t stop at clothing. She challenged attendees to extend their palette into their personal brand—from headshots and LinkedIn banners to Zoom backgrounds and office paint colors.

“Pick a background that’s in your color palette,” she said. “It makes a huge difference in how people receive you.

She also shared a surprisingly personal insight: even what you wear at home affects your mindset. “If you have an old black robe you get ready in, get rid of it,” she joked. “Get one that’s in your color palette. It’s going to make a huge difference in the way you show up in the morning.”

A powerful close: showing up inside and out
As the hour came to a close, Petruzzelli left attendees with an energizing reminder that confidence begins long before you walk into a meeting—it starts with how you see yourself.

“This is the image consulting side of what I do,” she explained. “We focus on who we are inside, which is what matters most. And then this is how we end a lot of those workshops—focusing on who we are on the outside too, and showing up and presenting ourselves in the right way physically, not just mentally and emotionally.”

She invited participants to continue exploring their own palettes and the psychology of color as part of their personal and professional growth.

About WIFI (and what’s next)
WIFI continues to attract, educate, and empower women across the flooring industry through Power Hours, mentoring, scholarships, and networking.

The organization’s mentoring program will launch its fifth cohort in early 2026, apply now at https://www.womeninflooring.org/mentoring.

To support programming as a Friend of WIFI—visit www.womeninflooring.org/friends.