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Contents: Designing the Mood; Natural Inspiration; Psychology of Colour; Light & Colour
COLOUR THERAPY
DESIGNING THE MOOD
Colour is the most personal and dramatic statement you can make in your home. It can create moods and even improve your mental well-being. When planning your scheme the mood board is an indispensable tool which will give a direction for your creativity. Begin by choosing your main base colour which should be the colour you particularly like. Most people are drawn to a specific colour. What colour car did you choose? What is the colour of most of your clothes and is there a colour that doesn’t suit you? What mood would you like to create for your room?
Planning a colour scheme is easy once you understand the principles of colour. Relying on your instincts and playing around is one of the best ways of learning but use of a simple wheel could make sure that designs are going to work. Colour is a deeply personal preference and if you've ever wondered why you feel listless in your lounge or happy in your hall delve into colour psychology. For best results, choose one of the following schemes:
NATURAL INSPIRATION
If you feel uninspired when it comes to finding the perfect palette for your home, simply look around you. Nature has done it and it can work for you ~ flowers are a perfect study in complementary colours and delicate hues are often paired with its opposite vibrant colour.
Nature demonstrates how a toning scheme need never be dull:
If you would like a harmonious colour scheme, observe the autumnal changes of green to golden, russet, red and copper Study a garden border and see how the pinks blend into the blue and mauves ~ it is also very common to find that even clashing colours are effective in brightening up many gardens Be inspired by neutrals ~ imagine a beach with the slate grey of pebbles mingling with the muted browns and caramels of driftwood and sand Use the powerful effect of water to cool and purify using blues and silver Feel the heat and passion of fire and envelop yourself with hot red, orange and yellow
Always remember, if you like it then don’t be afraid to use it!
PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOUR
How does colour make you feel? How can you influence your moods and feelings with the use of colour?
RED Danger, passion, energy, warmth, adventure, optimism | Best: Dining rooms – makes you feel sociable, lively and stimulates the appetite | Pitfalls: It can be overpowering ~ vary the shade, paint just one wall in it or use for accessories only and never use it in a baby’s room | PINK love, romance | Best: Bedrooms can be peaceful and restful with baby pinks or become romantic by adding passion in the form of hot fuscia | Pitfalls: Can look overpoweringly feminine ~ introduce some hints of dark charcoal or black for balance | ORANGE stabilising, reassuring, warm, is thought to aid digestion | Best: Living rooms and dining rooms | Pitfalls: Might keep you awake in a bedroom ~ can make a room look smaller so make sure the room gets plenty of light | GREEN calming and restful, balance, security, stability | Best: Bedrooms, Living Rooms | Pitfalls: Too much green is can make you too laid back ~ inject some red or orange to counteract this | BLUE calming, soothing, serenity, protection, contemplative | Best: Bedrooms, bathrooms, study
| Pitfalls: Can appear cold and unwelcoming ~ choose a blue with warm undertones or liven up with hot orange and bright yellow | YELLOW sunshine and energy, stimulates the intellect | Best: Kitchens, dining rooms or north facing rooms | Pitfalls: Not restful for a bedroom ~ if you are feeling emotionally distressed yellow will make you feel worse | LILAC the most spiritual colour, feminine | Best: Bedrooms and bathrooms to create a stress free sanctuary | Pitfalls: Can be insipid ~ liven it up with black, silver or both | PURPLE creativity, fertility, joy, magic, sex | Best: Bedrooms | Pitfalls: Can be overpowering | BROWN safe, stable, practical | Best: Living rooms
| Pitfalls: Lacking in mental stimulation ~ introduce a livelier colour such as green or black | BLACK absorbing, death, eccentricity, drama | Best: To be used in moderation
| Pitfalls: Depressing ~ don't use it as a base colour but use it to temper other colours such as pink and red |
LIGHT & COLOUR
If your home is not particularly spacious or light you can use colour to enhance the size of your rooms. On the other hand, if you live in a large space that lacks warmth then colour can offer a simple but effective way to make your home feel cosier. Always remember that paint dries to a darker shade.
Which way does your room face?
North facing rooms are likely not to get much sun and feel cold: Warm it up with cosy colours Overhead lighting makes colour look flat ~ u se lots of ambient lighting A pale neutral may look washed out in strong daylight or artificial light so try going for a more intense shade
South facing rooms will get lots of light: Warm shades might be too overpowering in the full glare of the sun so if you want to keep it light and airy, keep the shades you choose cool Halogen bulbs give a much better representation of the colour than ordinary Tungsten ones whilst c andlelight can enhance the effect by adding mood and ambience to your room
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