Have you ever noticed how some places make you feel relaxed and calm, while others can make you feel jumpy or irritated?
It could be the colour.
Colour can affect our emotions and can influence people’s state of mind. We all know that interior designers like to use colour to give rooms a certain tone. White makes a room feel bigger, bedrooms tend to be light blue for a calming effect, hospitals are white, why is this?
There’s more to it than a visual perception. The impact on our feelings and the emotional affects of colour can be quite powerful.
Read on to discover how colours effect your mood in our latest blog:
7 Ways Colour Affects Mood in Your Home
Red
Do you want to add passion and excitement to your life? Red is your colour.
Ahh red, the colour of love, romance and excitement! The bold red promotes passion, and is considered the most powerful and strongest of all colours. Perhaps that’s why when someone gets angry, we say they are seeing red!
Being the most intense colour, red is often associated with courage, strength, and ambition. And because red is the most stimulating of all colours, it is even thought to promote alertness and speed.
Fun fact: Despite the popular belief that red makes bulls angry, there is no real evidence to suggest that’s actually the case. In fact, it’s not the colour at all that makes them angry, it’s the movement of the capes being waved at them. I’d be cranky too if someone kept waving a cape in my face!
Green
Need to feel optimistic and refreshed? Then green is your friend.
Is the luck of the Irish with you? Green is considered a lucky colour because of its association with the little green leprechaun. And of course, if you ever find a 4-leaf-clover you're most certainly considered lucky! It’s no wonder then, that green is associated with money and health.
Green is thought to promote a sense of safety, nature, and creativity. Being a cool colour, green promotes calmness, tranquillity and harmony. This is likely due to the calming association we make with green forests and fields.
Cyan
Relax and concentrate with the help of cyan.
The calming colour. Picture yourself relaxing at the beach. The sun is shining, the wind is calm, and there isn't a cloud in the sky. You don’t have a single worry in the world as you lay in your deck chair. The soothing sounds of waves gently lapping against the shore in beautiful harmony. You smile as you get comfortable, you sit back, and,,, relax…
Cyan is the colour of calming and relaxation associated with a beautiful clear day. It's is also known to aid concentration. And because of the peaceful association we make with cyan, it helps us clear our minds and think better.
Blue
Are you deep in thought and need to ponder? Blue is the colour for you!
The colour of intellect, blue is soothing, calming and promotes logic. Blue can encourage productivity, which is why you will often see offices painted in this colour. Blue is also known to give a sense of stability, reliability, and authority.
Because blue is also the preferred colour for boys, and because it's such a popular colour, it is generally seen as non-threatening.
Blue is often seen to represent trustworthiness, honesty and dependability. And is said to promote feelings of security and confidence. Perhaps due to the long held association with police men and women in blue uniform.
Yellow
Are you feeling joyful, outgoing, and optimistic? Then let the sunshine in with yellow!
The happy colour. Exciting and cheery best describe yellow's characteristics. Which likely gets its joyful personality from the sun on a warm summer’s day. Yellow is also known to promote warmth, optimism and intuition.
An interesting fact about yellow is that it's the most visible colour in the spectrum. Meaning it takes less effort for your eyes to see. And because it's the most visible colour, it can draw your attention easier. This is why traffic lights and some street signs use yellow, to get you to take notice of them.
Purple
Feeling creative? Imaginative purple is what you need.
The colour of royalty, wealth, and mystery. Purple gives a regal feel because of its association with greatness. In ancient times, purple was the most expensive colour to reproduce. Making it exquisite, and a colour only the most powerful could afford to wear.
This led to its association with royalty. Egyptian and Persian rulers donned the colour purple as a sign of wealth and power. In fact, some Roman emperors even forbode people from wearing purple. And the penalty for getting caught wearing it was death! Perhaps that’s how the colour “Tyrian purple” got its name.
And because purple combines red (stimulation) and blue (serenity), it can provide a balance thought to encourage creativity and imagination.
Did you know: Purple is the most powerful colour on the spectrum, making it the hardest colour to see. To show you how tricky purple is, take the Lilac Chaser test. When you look at it you'll see series of dots that disappear, but they appear to turn green instead. Try it for yourself by clicking here.
White
Need some quiet time to concentrate? Then give the peaceful white a try!
White promotes a sense of calm which enhances your ability to focus, as well as giving a room a clean and fresh feel. It's also the colour of hygiene, and because it’s a sterile colour you will see hospitals and dental surgeries painted in all white.
And because white is bright, it can add a sense of space to a room too.
Since the Victorian era, a white dress is traditionally worn by the bride in western culture to symbolise youth and innocence in a white wedding. Angels are also portrayed as wearing all white, and an angelic appearance will often reflect cleansing, purity, and perfection.
The choice is yours
Whether you want to concentrate, relax or get motivated, colour can help you get there. Use a lamp, such as the 3D Illusion Lamp, to set your mood with colour and light.
Do you want to be more creative? Set the lamp to green, blue or purple.
Need to concentrate? Try cyan or white.
Feeling happy, try yellow.
If you are studying or working with numbers, try blue or white.
Or if you are wanting to feel calm, relaxed and at peace, then try setting it to green, cyan, or blue.
Thanks for reading.
