How To Hack Your Mood Using Colour
The paint on your walls doesn’t just function as fun mode of self-expression, but it can also deeply influence the mood of your guests, help decrease stress, and even improve your sleep patterns.
29/04/2022
Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly felt like smiling? Or calm? That may be the result of the ethereal powers of room psychology. As it turns out, the paint on your walls doesn’t just function as fun mode of self-expression. It can also deeply influence the mood of your guests, help decrease stress, and even improve your sleep patterns. It all just depends on what colours you choose.
Senior manager of Integrated Campaigns at
Builder’s Roshana Burnett says , “Colour is an
amazing thing. It can help soothe you after a
stressful day or make you smile on the way to a
night out. We have put a lot of thought into
just how much you can do with it. We want to
share how you can best use paint to turn a space
into a gorgeous reflection of your personality.”
So, what are the dos and don’ts of choosing
colours for certain rooms? Here are some laws to
live by:
The colours you select for decorating your home should be a reflection of your personality and the atmosphere you want to set.
It is all about you:
Your feelings about colour are often deeply personal and rooted in your own experiences or culture. Some people and cultures, for example, view red as a passionate or aggressive colour, while others associate it with luck. Similarly, some societies see white as a colour of innocence or a neutral colour, while for others white is a colour of mourning. The point is that you are the one occupying the space and whatever colours you use should speak to you.
When choosing your favourite colours, keep in mind the style of your home as this will also affect your colour choices.
Sleep sense:
In this day and age, getting a good night’s sleep is as rare as hen’s teeth. Between the stresses of work, current affairs, and the constant ping of notifications on our phones, many of us have fallen into poor sleeping habits. Our walls shouldn’t contribute to those. So, if you are looking for something to encourage sleep or a general sense of calm then it’s time to turn to blue. A 2018 study found that softer shades of blue worked the best to promote sleep, followed by green. Unsurprisingly, the worst colour for sleep was red, followed by orange and yellow. Whichever colour you choose, avoid glossy paint as they can be more reflective and result in your brain being stimulated more often than you would like.
From light, to mid, to dark blue, there are limitless possibilities for hues and shades of blue.
Blue is a state of mind:
While you may not find the answers to your mental health issues at the bottom of a bucket of paint, decking your walls in soft, cool colours will certainly help you find a more tranquil and relaxed frame of mind. Colours like blue, green, light purple and silver can help set your mind at ease. They are also great at making a room seem more spacious.
Statement colours:
Sometimes, what you want from a room is a statement. Something bold, that gets conversations going and injects everyone who walks into it with energy. For these rooms you need warm colours. Whether it is getting a wonderful two-tone effect near the stairwell or dousing your living room in bright, burnt orange heat, warm colours will bring fun and intimacy into a space. Be wary as they can be overwhelming if applied too generously.
Don’t be a one trick pony:
Gone are the days when it was one colour for one room. Instead, mix and match shades or go with accents features. It doesn’t even need to be a big job. By simply applying an accent colour to the trims, you can dramatically spice up the look and feel of your room. Similarly, you can achieve a stylish monochromatic look by just playing with shading on your mouldings and trims.
The colour you select for a room can be calming, soothing, invigorating, or refreshing. It doesn't need to be bold to make an impact.
Light my fire:
Colour is all about light. Finding the right lamps and light to complement your colour scheme can take your room to the next level. White light bulbs are closer to daylight, so your colour choices can be more versatile. LED lights are cooler and give off a bluish glow, which works well with cool pastels for a more contemporary look.
Consider the lighting in a room when selecting colour. Warm LED lighting is a more subdued lighting while cool while is refreshing and brighter.
It’s all in the window framing:
Windows give your home a bit
of je ne sais quoi. When the light comes through
them just right, they can cast an elegant glow
that stirs the soul. If you get your windows and
window frames right, you can very quickly turn
your house into the neighbourhood style icon.
For example, choosing a black window frame is an
easy way to make a home look tasteful. For a
high contrast look, you can pair it with white,
or go for greys or even add wood finishes to
make the frames really pop.
Avoid using
colours like red or orange unless you are going
for a very particular kind of look and feel.
A home with architectural detailing doesn't necessarily have to be painted; sometimes a natural wood trim brings detail and texture to a room.
No matter what your colour needs, Builders has an army of knowledgeable, well-trained staff who are on hand to help your décor dreams come true. Picking a paint colour can be overwhelming. Chat to the pros to find your perfect mood match.