Colour is all around us. It is a powerful communication tool which impacts our lives more than most people realise. On a conscious level colour can protect us and warn us of danger, while mood and behaviour can be affected subconsciously. Although we all technically experience the same process – of light-waves hitting our retina which sends information signals to the brain – we don’t all react to or see colour in the same way.
Every colour has an effect on how we think, feel and behave. Whilst we have a universal, instinctive reaction to colour, we each have our own relationship with colours that has been formed through our lifetime.
It is our individual experiences, associations, culture and our childhoods that have all had an impact on whether we view colour positively or negatively.
Colour psychology in interior design is the study of how colours can influence our emotions, moods and even our behaviour within a space.
Creating different atmospheres and feelings, colour selection is an important aspect of designing an interior that aligns with our experiences as well the purpose of the room. Understanding more about the psychological effects of colours, and which tone of any one colour to choose, can help you create a more harmonious palette for your home.
With all colours, the psychological qualities expressed will always depend upon the intensity of that particular shade. When we add our firsthand experiences of a colour, the effects are deeply personal and subjective. There are, however, some general effects that, broadly speaking, resonate with each of us.
We see more shades of green than any other colour. Our connection to green is primal. For our ancestors green would have signalled a thriving landscape with food and water close by.
As a colour which sits in the middle of the colour spectrum, our eyes are naturally attuned to it, meaning we find it quite calming and restful.
Widely recognised as a colour that reflects nature, green also symbolises harmony, growth and renewal. Being grounded in nature, green naturally helps us feels stable and nurtured, refreshed and calm leading to an overall greater sense of harmony.
Green is a colour that has such a wide appeal it can work in every room of your home; you just have to find the right shade of green for the space.
Blue
The world’s favourite colour apparently, blue evokes feelings of serenity and calm, probably because it’s the colour of the water that surrounds us all.
Blue spaces, like oceans and lakes with vast skies, are often associated with feelings of tranquillity and peace. Research shows that blue calms us, it promotes relaxation by lowering high blood pressure and reducing feelings of stress.
Blue is particularly good if your aim is to create a calming feeling in a home space, making it an ideal choice for bedrooms and bathrooms.
The shades of blue that work well for your space will be determined by the facing light. North facing rooms can feel cold if the tone is not suited to the already cool blue, northern light. In these spaces a blue with yellowy undertone will still feel calm and warm.
The alternative choice would be to embrace the natural blue light and limited natural daylight by choosing a deep dark shade that cocoons the space and welcomes the lack of natural light.
Red has the longest wavelength and is a colour that triggers a physical response within us. Red is considered to be bold and powerful; it literally demands our attention and focus.
In nature red signifies potential danger – which is why it is the perfect colour for stop signs, traffic lights and warnings.
Red can also raise our energy levels and stimulate interaction and conversation, making shades of red therefore an ideal choice for living and dining spaces. Here the tone of red is crucial: deeper shades will feel engaging and warm whereas pillar box red may be just too stimulating.
Brighter shades of red can be a little too dramatic to live with having the potential to overheat conversations and situations. Red can subconsciously communicate anger, aggression, defiance and revolution. As red stimulates our brain, too much of a bold hue can easily overwhelm and tire us.
With long wavelengths yellow is emotionally stimulating, it is the colour of sunshine and understandably makes us feel positive, lively and can boost confidence.
Sunny and uplifting shades will make a space feel warm and cheerful. Yellow can dramatically uplift our mood, increase our feelings of happiness and has been linked to stimulating creativity making it great for learning spaces.
Warmer shades of yellow make welcoming entrances and hallways, so as you greet guests into your home they are literally stepping across your threshold into a warm glow.
Softer shades of yellow work well in lively spaces like kitchens and dining rooms but avoid overly bright shades as they can increase feeling of irritability, anxiety, nervousness and depression.
The most cheerful kitchen I have ever seen belongs in the home of Sarah Laming, aka Instagram sensation @ahometomakeyousmile. Sarah’s kitchen is bold but the tone of yellow is so warm and buttery you just can’t help but smile, what a joy this must be to live in.
Orange
A blend of red and yellow, orange combines both physical and emotional psychological effects. Warm and energetic, it is a positive and inviting colour that is playful, fun and helps to stimulate social interaction and conversation.
More vibrant shades would be ideally suited to a playroom or activity space as these brighter shades reflect a sense of fun and playfulness.
Deeper, rusty/brick or terracotta shades offer a more sophisticated palette making them an excellent choice for dining and sitting rooms. Deeper, muted tones of orange help make a space feel both grounded and grown up. These earthy orange palettes work well with wooden furniture or a global décor vibe.
Pink is a nurturing colour often associated with beauty, love and compassion. However different shades of pink evoke dramatically different moods. A lively, fuchsia shade is bold and can increase a sense of fun, while creating an energising atmosphere.
Paler shades of pink and nude tones help make a space feel soothing and calm with an understated elegance. Think blush not bubble-gum for quiet sophistication.
Soft shades of pink act like a neutral and work well with every other colour. A pale pink hallway makes a calm and gentle welcome for guests.
If you are not colour drenching your dining room, instead of a boring white ceiling, go pink. It reflects a much softer light than the standard cold and harsh brilliant white, helping to create a warm, flattering glow on the faces of your dinner guests.
Purple
Purple, or violet, has the shortest wavelength and is also the last visible wavelength in the colour spectrum, which creates its connection to a higher realm. Perhaps this is why it is considered the colour of contemplation, spirituality and is historically associated with royalty and religion. The rarity (and cost) of purple dye throughout history also helped it gain elite status.
There are many tones of purple, it can be cool or warm ranging from palest lilac through to deepest aubergine. Lilac calms and soothes making it an ideal shade for a bedroom. Although unfashionable for many years, if you like to follow trends this shade of purple that has had something of a revival of late.
The deeper shades on the scale offer a richness that is better suited to a study or library space and cosy snugs or living rooms like the home of Joanna MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye. Joanna (aka as @bealach_uige_bothy on Instagram) was a finalist in Scotland’s Home of the Year and has used this rich colour to dramatic effect in her highland home.
Rich, chocolatey and warm, brown is the colour of earth and wood. It is reassuring and makes us feel safe and comfortable; it’s solid and dependable, much like the trees and wood it’s so often associated with.
Brown is a comforting colour that offers a big hug to the spaces it decorates especially when used to highlight an area. It is an ideal choice for creating a cosy book nook or defining the area behind a fireplace or log burner.
When paired with creamy neutrals, brown can elevate a simple yet sophisticated décor scheme without being boring.
Powerful, sophisticated and luxurious, black conjures a sense of mystery. It is the go-to colour to epitomise elegance in fashion – black tie/little black dress. It can feel protective, offer substance and convey authority and gravitas. Black is classic and smart.
When it comes to the home, black is guaranteed to add drama to your décor. It’s the ideal choice when you want to create high contrast spaces, define details or draw the eye to a focal point.
Many people are too nervous to be truly bold with black, but the result can be so impressive like the home of BBC Interior Design Masters finalist Jack Kinsey. He recently painted the ceiling of his chapel conversion in matt black and the result is stunning. The dark ceiling creates a sophisticated wow factor. It’s unexpected, dramatic and definitely not a boring ceiling.
White
Synonymous with purity and cleanliness, white brings simplicity, clarity and a feeling of freshness. White can make you feel cool, calm and serene and can help clear a busy mind to encourage feelings of tranquillity and peace.
White is especially negative and cold in spaces with cool blue light such as north facing rooms. ‘Brilliant white’ is actually a man-made colour that does not exist in the natural world, which is why we do not truly connect to it.
Too much white in the wrong spaces can feel stark and sterile unless careful attention is paid to the layers of texture added into the space.
Grey
True grey is a mixture of black and white, it is a colour that recedes and as such it allows other colours next to it to be promoted. It can feel incredibly sophisticated and balanced.
Psychologically, grey hides on the sidelines, out of view, not drawing attention to itself. Grey is classic and can also feel very calming and serene, especially when darker shades are in high contrast with white.
There have been several theories that the rise of grey from 2010 and unwavering popularity over the following decade was in direct correlation to the turmoil people felt in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. When society feels in chaos, the calming, receding effects of grey help people feel safe and calm in their homes, which become a haven from the realities of the world outside.
After the lockdowns in 2020 grey was declared “dead” by many in the interiors industry. Interestingly, some colour experts believe that the longer you spend surrounded by grey décor those initial feelings of calm turn to one of being drained of energy. Perhaps after the extended lockdowns and too much time surrounded by grey décor, the nation needed a colour boost.
Ultimately, personal preference should guide your colour choices, but it never hurts to understand more about how colour can have an impact upon us. What feels calming to one person might not to another, so it is essential to consider the tastes and needs of those who will use the space.
By understanding and applying a little colour psychology, you can create interiors that not only look appealing but also evoke desired emotions and behaviours. Something to think about when you next reach for a paint chart.
Follow Sharon on Instagram @a_story_of_home
