Colour is all around us: in our clothes, in our homes, in nature and even on our plate. And, it’s without a doubt that colour can have an effect on your mood. It’s as simple as wearing a bright hue, or being in a serene environment surrounded by luscious greens, for us to feel the impact it can have.
As a healing method, colour therapy is closely linked to other types of therapy such as aromatherapy, meditation and music therapy. According to colour experts, colour is known to project energy, which can either have a positive healing effect or create an imbalance with your emotional state.
With this in mind, choosing the right colours in your home can be quite a tricky task. Colour creates a mood and an atmosphere, and it is the first thing we notice when we enter a room. In decorating, colour is the most important element in creating a scheme for a living environment, be it your home office, bedroom or even your bathroom. You can only experiment with colour to see the positive effects that it can achieve on you physically and emotionally once you’ve used it.
While experimenting, here are some helpful colour cues you might want to keep in mind:
- Red is the colour of action, passion and energy. It also stimulates the appetite, so is a great option for a kitchen.
- Orange is the colour of creativity and spontaneity. It is a social colour and excellent for stimulating conversations, which makes it a good colour for your dining area or lounging space.
- Yellow is the happiest colour in the spectrum. The colour of fun and laughter, yellow is known to inspire and mentally stimulate. It is at its best in a study or playroom. Yellow works well when combined with other colours, except for green, as this can make you feel ill.
- Green is all about growth, change and freedom. A calming and soothing colour, it is perfect for an outdoor area or a serene atmosphere in your bathroom.
- Blue is one of the world’s favourite colours. It’s a colour of peaceful communication. Restful and cooling, blue is best incorporated into the rooms in which you want to relax. Great for a bedroom.
- White is the colour of purity, clarity, and radiance. As such, it can prove ideal for a bedroom or prayer room.
- Pink represents softness, gentleness and self love. It can be a wonderful colour for relaxation areas, such as a bedroom or a small child’s room.
- Gold is wisdom, personal power and wealth. Paired with cream, gold can really set the mood for a meditational space.
When it comes to application, these colours can be used in a monochromatic scheme whereby everything is tonal, or a more complementary approach, whereby colour schemes highlight one colour from the other (these are often colours found opposite each other on the colour wheel). An analogous colour scheme is one whereby only cool colours or warm colours are used, and these often lie side by side on the colour wheel.
It’s often hard to pick a colour and run with it, so try implementing colour through fabrics, and accessories like décor and furniture pieces, and when you are confident about your colour choice, go ahead and splash out on some paint or wallpaper, as a brightened home makes for a happy home.
Date Published: 07 June 2016
