The psychology of colour in your home

By Karen Haller, Applied Colour Psychology Expert

Buying a new home is an exciting time. And for many, the most exciting part is decorating and putting your own stamp on your home.

When it comes to choosing colours, you can easily become overwhelmed by the choice, so it’s difficult to know where to start. That's why I’m going to share my insider tips, to help you start thinking about colour in a new way.

Colour isn’t just something you put on your walls to make the room look pretty. It’s something more fundamental to our lives. Colour has an ability to change how we feel, think, and behave, the instant we come into contact with it. Think about how happy and positive you feel when the sun is shining and contrast this to how you feel when the sky is dark and grey.

Using colours in the right place creates a sense of belonging, helping you feel more at home. It's also a way for you to express your personality and feel positive.

Using the fundamentals of colour psychology, I’ve put together my top tips to help you choose the perfect colours throughout your home.

1. Tap into your personality

Firstly, think of a room in your home. How do you want to feel and behave in that space? Do you want to unwind and put your feet up, feel energised and motivated, or have fun and laughter when entertaining?

2. Pick colours that enhance your feelings

With that in mind, look for colours that represent those feelings and behaviours. Here are a few examples of some positive psychology behaviours that colour can evoke.

Soft greens may help you to relax and put your feet up

Vibrant yellows will lift your spirits and give you a boost of confidence

Energising red will get you up and moving

Lively orange keeps the fun and social conversation going

3. Work through an overall colour palette

Once you’ve selected your main colour, choose a palette of colours that psychologically and tonally harmonise to create the overall feeling you desire and behaviours you want to achieve.

A word of caution, trendy fads are often short lived. To truly create a home that supports and nurtures you, look for colours that are in harmony with your personality and not the latest look on the high street.

No matter what your style, a clever use of colour will help you to create a home that reflects your personality and supports how you want to feel every day.

To discover more about colour psychology visit  www.karenhaller.co.uk and www.colour-training.co.uk.

To find your dream home, visit David Wilson Homes today.