How do you choose which colours to paint your walls? Do you go for your favourite colour, keep it plain and simple and slap white everywhere, or do you meticulously scour Pinterest and interior design magazines for inspiration to create a mood board on which to plan every square inch?
Of course, these are all perfectly valid ways to decorate your home but have you ever thought about the mood different colours convey?
There’s a whole science behind the way colour affects moods and emotions and, although this article isn’t going to get all sciencey on you, let’s have a look at how the colour scheme you choose to paint your home with can dramatically affect how you feel in your surroundings.
Cool Colours
Blue
Blue is a calming colour said to lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate. With its connection to the sky and the sea, blue is a great colour to have in rooms where you want to relax, such as the bedroom and the bathroom. Bear in mind though that pastel blue can feel cold and chilly, so stick to the warmer blues.
Purple
Purple is a mysterious colour. It’s the colour of royalty, luxury and wealth. Purple is said to stimulate the imagination, making it the perfect colour for creatives and therefore best in an office, studio or craft room.
Green
Green is the colour of nature and has a calming, soothing effect and relieves stress. Use green in rooms where you want to relax, such as the bedroom or living room. Too much green is said to make people chill out too much, so avoid it in places where you need to focus and concentrate, such as the study.
Warm Colours
Yellow
Yellow is a vibrant, happy colour that promotes optimism and cheerfulness and invokes a feeling of summer days. It catches the sun streaming through the window to give the whole room a joyful vibe. Yellow also increases energy, making it the perfect colour to see first thing in your kitchen as you put the kettle on.
Red
Red is a multi-tasking colour when it comes to emotions. It’s the colour of romance and roses but it’s also the colour of aggression and hostility. Then again, there’s a thin line between love and hate, so let’s just call it a passionate colour.
Because red is said to raise blood pressure, your heart rate and irritability, it’s a colour best kept for rooms where you socialise, such as a living room or dining room and avoided in the bedroom.
Orange
Orange is an energetic, enthusiastic colour that promotes activity, making it a great colour for a home gym/exercise room or children’s playroom.
Neutral Colours
White
If red is the multi-tasking colour of emotions, then white is the multi-tasking colour of home decor. White suits any room and can make a small space feel more open and spacious. It’s a calming colour with a feeling of cleanliness and purity, which makes it the perfect choice for a bathroom or bedroom.
Grey
At the time of writing, grey is the ‘in’ colour (thanks, Mrs Hinch) and without wanting to promote a certain book, it’s available in far more than 50 shades. Although grey isn’t a colour you immediately associate with comfort, it can bring warmth to a room and grey’s neutral tones will look good in any room.
Black
A few accents of black can give your home a dramatic effect, if drama is the mood you’re after. But black absorbs the light, making your room feel smaller, claustrophobic and mood-lowering. Keep black to angst-ridden teenage bedrooms.
How you decorate your home, whether you’re renting (check with your landlord first before getting out the paint brush), own your own property, or you’re part of a shared ownership scheme, is obviously completely up to you and your colour scheme will ultimately come down to your own personal taste.
But next time you’re looking through a colour palette, take a moment to think of how you’ll be using the room and how you want it to make you feel.
About the author:
Cathy White is a freelance content writer for Peabody Sales, one of the largest housing providers in London and the south-east. Peabody Sales focus on those who need their help the most, working with people and communities to build resilience and promote well-being.