Colours are one trend that is always on point when it comes to giving your home light, energy and personality. While specific colours may trend at specific times, your decision on which colours to use for your home should not depend on what’s trending.
The Ground Rule – Choose colours that reflect your preference and personality. However, the key is to blend various colours into a pleasing combination for your home. This can often be an overwhelming exercise for many. Learn what different colours stand for and how it effects people and that will make it easy to help you choose colours for your furnishings as well as other accessories in the home.
Here, we will find out more about colours in the home and how they can influence moods.
Orange
Orange stands for excitement and energy – it helps build self-confidence. We do not recommend this for living rooms and bedrooms. Orange is a great accent colour – it can evoke happiness and celebrations. If you have a fitness space, colour it orange as it helps bring out all emotions.
Our advice – Use it as an accent colour on walls or have an orange framed mirror in the living room.
Bright Red
Bright Red is a colour that stimulates energy levels. It pumps up adrenaline and excitement and promotes courage. It can make you confident. When used in living rooms and dining rooms, red can stimulate conversation and bring people together.
Our advice – A splash of red at the entrance can make a strong first impression and try a pair of bright red accent pillows or cushions.
Dark red
Dark red stands for passion and helps you break through inhibitions. However, red must be used very judiciously. Too much can make you agitated and too excited as red is known to raise blood pressure and stimulates heart rate. When used for bedrooms, adopt a muted palette which can make it appear rich and elegant under lamplight.
Our advice – Use red sparingly, for example, a dark red accent chair or lampshade.
Yellow
Yellow is sunlight and summer shine and happiness and togetherness. Yellow is known to raise focus, increase intelligence and mental ability. Yellow also stimulates conversations. Yellow is known to a great colour for kitchens, dining areas and bathrooms where it uplifts and energizes. When used in hallways and entryways and small spaces – it can have a very welcoming feel. However, it is not a colour that can be used over large spaces because it is known to make people irritable, frustrated and angry. Psychologists feel people lose their temper and babies cry more in yellow spaces. In chemotherapy, this aspect of the colour is believed to stimulate patients’ nerves.
Our advice – Use it in small doses around the room, for example, a yellow accent chair.
Light Blue
The colour blue is said to bring down blood pressure and heart rate which makes people feel calm and relaxed. Blue promotes tranquillity which can help streamline thoughts. Blue is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms. If you are keen on light blue as the primary colour for your living room, use warm colours for your furnishings and drapes. Light blue is comfort and harmony of feelings and relationships. Light blue calms aggressive tendencies.
Our advice – If you want light blue, go for flowy drapes or even a painted ceiling in that hue.
Dark Blue
Dark blue encourages relaxation and is said to purify your thinking. That is why dark blue clothes are recommended for when you have to make a decision. Avoid too much of dark blue as it also evokes sadness.
Our advice – If you are keen on dark blue, try an accent piece like a dark blue desk lamp.
Green
This is one of the most refreshing colours for the eye as it combines blue’s coolness and yellow’s cheeriness. This colour is good for all the rooms in the house as it has a calming effect which relieves stress. Used in the kitchen or living room, it promotes warmth and comfort and togetherness.
Green also stands for healing and nourishment – it encourages fresh start and growth. Green represents nourishment of body and equilibrium of spirit and emotions. Green is a good colour for bedrooms.
Our advice – A green accent chair, a green accent side table, a green pot in the kitchen or a pair of green bath towels.
Light Purple
Dark purple is a dramatic and sophisticated hue associated with luxury and a creative bent of mind. But it is best used as an accent colour. Light purple is more recommended as a shade for homes with hues like lavender and lilac particularly in bedrooms, where it offers a warm restfulness unlike blue’s chilly restfulness.
Light purple is also the colour of spirituality and encourages inhabitants to have a fresh perspective on issues. The colour also enhances compassion.
Our advice – Use it tastefully for example, a light purple sofa throw or a fresh bouquet of purple flowers.
Pink
Pink is gentle and soothing. It is the colour of love and comfort during emotional turmoil. Used in a room, the colour can promote understanding and the ability to listen.
Our advice – A pink shower curtain, a pink lampshade or a bouquet of pink roses.
Neutrals
Black, grey, white and brown are basic colours that offer you flexibility while decorating your home. Black is best used as an accent colour. A touch of black to any room can ground the colour scheme and give it much depth.
Our advice – A black antique piece or a grey ottoman or a black & white/black & grey accent chair.
Having a range of colours that are well-balanced, is the key to happiness. A room can have a maximum of 3-4 colours. Any more and it will make the room look cluttered and ugly. If you have the time, you can even experiment with colours.
I like the idea of keeping it neutral, specially white and light grey and then use pink curtain or yellow chair as mentioned in the blog.
But maintaining white is difficult. Can you suggest some tips to do so?