Not Just a Case of Aesthetics: Choosing Which Colours to Decorate Your Home

When you're choosing how to decorate your home, there are a lot of things that might influence your decisions. You'll probably begin with colours you like and a vague idea of what you think might be fitting for each room. Then influences come in from current trends, magazines, websites and social media. By this point, you'll have a pretty firm view of the colours you'd like in each part of your house.

But have you ever considered how much more there is to colour? Numerous studies have shown that different hues can have quite a profound effect on the way we feel, with colour psychology being a fairly well-understood area. Here are the associations of some common colours to help influence your planning.

Red

A strongly passionate colour, red can excite the emotions and make you feel more energetic, so it may be wise to avoid it if you want to create a restful bedroom. Red has been found to increase the appetite, which has led to it being widely used in restaurants to encourage people to eat more. Because of this, it makes an excellent choice for dining rooms but might be a bit overpowering for kitchens.

Blue

At the cooler end of the colour spectrum, blue is said to help foster a calm, relaxing environment. As such, it's perfect for bedrooms and perhaps anywhere work is carried out. Don't forget that blue comes in many shades, so you can probably find something you like, even if you're not a fan of bold, striking blues. Blue has the opposite effect to red, decreasing appetites, so leave it out of your dining room design.

Green

Like blue, green causes feelings of calm, but also adds creativity and focus into the mix. As such, it can work well in bedrooms, studies, libraries, or rooms used for art.

Yellow

Because it's a cheerful, energetic colour, yellow might be your best bet if you're lucky enough to have a gym at home. Although it's often used as a gender-neutral colour for babies, there's some evidence it makes them cry more often, so might not be the best choice for a nursery.

Orange

The effects of orange are similar to yellow, so it makes a good alternative if you prefer a warmer shade.

Purple

With its long-held associations with wealth and luxury, purple might be a good choice for a lavish living room that will impress your guests. It also has, to a lesser extent than some other colours, a relaxing effect.