The colours of the rooms in your home are a direct reflection of your personality. While most of us may not spend a lot of time thinking about room colour, it affects us every day. Room colour can influence our moods and our thoughts.

Colour affects people in many ways, depending on age, gender, ethnic background and climate. Certain colours (or groups of colours) tend to get a similar reaction from most people; the variations come from the shades or tones used. This is why, says Freshome, it’s so important to choose colours wisely when it comes to decorating.

You don’t have to worry about trends in order to have a beautiful home. Colour trends will come and go. The people who live in a home make it beautiful by choosing colours that reflect their preferences and personalities. The trick is to blend the colours you like into a pleasing combination.

Choosing colour combinations is one of the most intimidating steps for beginners. Colour has the power to change the shape and size of furnishings, as well as the shape and size of the room itself. Selecting colours is not difficult if you equip yourself with some basic information about colour and its effects.

Colours act in three basic ways: active, passive and neutral. You can easily match every room’s colours to your personal desires, to your taste and to the room’s purpose. Light colours are expansive and airy, making rooms seem larger and brighter. Dark colours are sophisticated and warm; they give large rooms a more intimate appearance.

Red raises a room’s energy level. The most intense colour, it pumps the adrenaline like no other hue. It is a good choice when you want to stir up excitement, particularly at night. In the living room or dining room, red draws people together and stimulates conversation. In an entryway, it creates a strong first impression.

Red has been shown to raise blood pressure and speed respiration and heart rate. It is usually considered too stimulating for bedrooms, but if you’re typically in the room only after dark, you’ll be seeing it mostly by lamplight, when the colour will appear muted, rich and elegant.

Yellow captures the joy of sunshine and communicates happiness. It is an excellent choice for kitchens, dining rooms and bathrooms, where it is energising and uplifting. In halls, entries and small spaces, yellow can feel expansive and welcoming.

Even though yellow although is a cheery colour, it is not a good choice for main colour schemes. Studies show that people are more likely to lose their temper in a yellow interior. Babies also seem to cry more in yellow rooms. In large amounts, this colour tends to create feelings of frustration and anger. In chromotherapy, yellow is believed to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.

Blue is said to bring down blood pressure and slow respiration and heart rate. That is why it is considered calming, relaxing and serene, and it is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms.

A pastel blue that looks pretty on the paint chip can come across as unpleasantly chilly on the walls and furnishings, however, especially in a room that receives little natural light. If you opt for a light blue as the primary colour in a room, balance it with warm hues for the furnishings and fabrics.

To encourage relaxation in social areas such as family rooms, living rooms or large kitchens, consider warmer blues, such as periwinkle, or bright blues, such as cerulean or turquoise. Blue is known to have a calming effect when used as the main colour of a room — but go for softer shades. Dark blue has the opposite effect, evoking feelings of sadness. Refrain from using darker blues in your main colour scheme.

Green is considered the most restful colour for the eye. Combining the refreshing quality of blue and the cheerfulness of yellow, green is suited for almost any room on the house. In the kitchen, green cools things down; in a family room or living room, it encourages unwinding but has enough warmth to promote comfort and togetherness.

Green also has a calming effect when used as a main colour for decorating. It is believed to relieve stress by helping people relax. It is also believed to help with fertility, making it a great choice for the bedroom.

Purple, in its darkest values (eggplant, for example), is rich, dramatic and sophisticated. It is associated with luxury and creativity; as an accent or secondary colour, it gives a scheme depth. Lighter versions of purple, such as lavender and lilac, bring the same restful quality to bedrooms as blue does, but without the risk of feeling chilly.

Orange evokes excitement and enthusiasm, and is an energetic colour. While not a good idea for a living room or for bedrooms, this colour is great for an exercise room; it will bring out all the emotions that you need released during your fitness routine. In ancient cultures, orange was believed to heal the lungs and increase energy levels.

Neutrals (black, gray, white and brown) are basic to the decorator’s tool kit. All-neutral schemes fall in and out of fashion, but their virtue lies in their flexibility: Add colour to liven things up; subtract it to calm things down.

Black is best used in small doses as an accent. Indeed, some experts maintain that every room needs a touch of black to ground the colour scheme and give it depth. To make the job easier, rely on the interior designer’s most important colour tool: the colour wheel.

Crimson can make some people feel irritable. Invoking feelings of rage and hostility, this is a colour that should be avoided as the main colour of a room. Sitting for long periods of time in a room painted in this colour will likely affect the peace and harmony you are striving to create in your home.

Source:  https://freshome.com/room-color-and-how-it-affects-your-mood/

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