While customising the interior of a home, it’s best to be mindful about what particular thing — the colours. The hues on the walls, furniture and more can influence your mood. Luckily, you can make a conscious choice when you study colours and emotions in psychology. 

Can Colour Really Impact Your Mood?

There’s plenty of evidence suggesting colour affects your mood. Chromotherapy or colour therapy is a long-standing practice in locations like Egypt, Greece, China and India. People’s relationship with colour influences their perception of it, inevitably affecting their mood.

There’s still limited research to support colour’s psychological effects. However, anecdotes point to people’s shared experiences of a certain hue. For instance, many tend to feel a sense of calm when surrounded by plants' green and the ocean's blue.

That said, colour associations can reverse over time depending on society’s overall shared views. Pink used to represent masculinity, while blue was viewed as demure until they were switched around.

Colour Palettes for Your Home

Many interior designers utilise colour psychology when coordinating with their clients. In corporate settings, some choose wall tones that enhance employee comfort and efficiency in the workspace. As you curate your home palette, think of how different colours make you feel.

A home is supposed to be a place where you can escape from the rest of the world and rest, so you should find hues that let you create your personal bubble. Try to tap into how each shade feels to you. Maybe you have a particular one that brings you ultimate joy or comfort, while another just makes you feel annoyed. 

Colour and Emotions Psychology 

If you want to consult general colour psychology to pick the hues in your home, look no further. Here’s an overview of several options and how they affect people’s emotions.

1. Red

Red is a fiery colour often associated with love and strong emotions. For some, it could trigger annoyance and anger. On a more positive note, it also represents confidence and passion. Brighter reds are usually more eye-catching.

2. Orange

Bright orange is a lovely addition to the home. It’s widely used in bohemian interior design and summertime, which is all about keeping things simple and down to earth. The more saturated the tone, the more excitement it tends to create.

3. Yellow

Yellow is primarily viewed as the happiest colour, but it comes in all kinds of tones. For instance, mustard yellow is often linked with fall, which has a more soothing connotation. Meanwhile, exposure to neon yellow energises you to feel more alert.

4. Green

Green is often synonymous with calmness, especially when it approaches a shade like forest green. This softer version can make a person happy and positive. However, brighter shades can seem a little sickly to some.

5. Violet

Bold colours like purple and indigo are usually synonymous with royalty, which puts you in a powerful and ambitious mood. They also ignite plenty of passion and creativity. Muted versions like mauve and sangria can offer a sense of calm.

6. Blue

Blue is everywhere, from the ocean to the sky. It is one of the most popular colours in the world, coming in as many’s favourite. In terms of how it affects people’s mood, it’s associated with serenity and peace. However, others may also feel sadness or emptiness.

7. Grey

Grey is a wonderful neutral colour many like to use as a base at home. It provides a sense of safety and comfort in the space. The shade also gives off a mature and simplistic impression.

8. Black

Black offers a sophisticated and luxurious ambiance. In terms of mood, it tends to create a lot more seriousness. Some associate it with absence and negativity, but others view it as solitude and contentment.

9. White

White is also a popular choice. This hue exudes cleanliness and comfort, and it puts many people in a hopeful mood. However, people with a negative perception of white may think of it as eerie and unsettling.

Pick Colours That Make You Happy

Colour psychology is still in the works of being an exact science. Nevertheless, there is merit in evaluating hues and how they affect your mood. You must choose colours that make you happy to create a home you’ll love.

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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.