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Considering The Psychology of Colour

29 Jul 2021

Whether you're a lover of colourful cushions or prefer to live in a neutral homely environment, filled with silky soft duvets and plush throws, considering the psychology of colour could make your decorating decisions a whole lot easier, helping you to reduce stress and enjoy your living space more. 

From how we sleep at night to our mood, the decor of your home could be contributing to the way you feel. Certain colours can have an enormous effect on a variety of aspects of your life. 

In this blog post, we're giving you all the tips and tricks you need to understand how to choose colours to suit your home.

How Colour Can Affect Behaviour and Mood

Colour and your emotions have a closer connection than you would ever imagine. Warm, cool and bright colours can each evoke a different feeling. The psychology of colour largely depends on the hue, brightness and tone. 

Warm colours tend to reflect happy feelings as well as optimism and energy. However, some colours within this scale can signal signs of danger such as red and yellow. Cooler tones such as blue and green are associated with calm and serene feelings, but can also evoke feelings of sadness so it's important to choose just the right shade to create the perfect atmosphere in a room. 

How To Effortlessly Use Colour

The colours you use in your home are usually very personal to your individual preferences. There are endless possibilities and colour combinations that can help make your house a home. Whether you're painting feature walls, going bold with bright patterned wallpaper or adding a touch of colour with luxury cushions and throws, there are many ways that you can incorporate colour into your home. 

Rather than hopping on the latest colour trends, take a look at what colour could enhance your life and the way colour makes you feel to help inform your next bedroom makeover. 

The Best Colours For Sleeping

We know that after a long day at work, the last thing you need is to struggle when you're trying to get to sleep. Your choices in bedroom colour design may be impacting your sleep. Neutral and pastel shades along with cool blues, greens and pinks will help relieve stress and create a welcoming atmosphere. 

Calming Hues of Blue

Blue is often associated with calming and relaxing feelings, meaning it could be the best colour for your bedroom. The colour blue has also been linked to reducing blood pressure and heart rate. Opting for blue-toned walls, cushions and blankets in your bedroom will promote good sleep by creating a soothing environment. 

Sleep Amongst Nature With Green 

Green is often a popular choice for a bedroom as it is associated with the tranquillity found in natural surroundings. It can offer a calming sensation in your bedroom - perfect for a good night’s sleep. If you’re looking to add subtle colour, muted sage green cushions and throws can be a great option. It is one of the easiest colours on the human eye and reflects the notion of freshness and growth.

Add A Classic Touch With White

Crisp and pure, white is a common colour for bedrooms as it creates a luxury, hotel-like feel that‚Äôs often associated with white bedding. White also creates the ideal blank canvas - allowing you to add a touch of colour through your soft furnishings. Opt for a pretty pale pink cushion or delicately lay a navy throw across the end of your bed for a truly luxurious look. 

Soft Pretty Pink Elements  

If you're searching for a more feminine feel in your bedroom, pink could be a perfect choice. Pink is thought to have a calming effect and is often associated with feelings of softness, kindness and compassion. Add a touch of pink to your bedroom with a pretty pastel throw or scatter pink cushions across your bed.  

How To Choose The Perfect Colour For Your Bedroom

Finding the perfect colour for your bedroom can be difficult, as your bedroom should be a relaxing sanctuary, whether you are looking for a modern, calming space filled with crisp white sheets or you're creating a bold bedroom using patterned throws and cushions. When choosing the correct colour for your bedroom, you will need to think about the mood you want to set. 

Why not opt for a statement bed frame? Add a pop of forest green with our Ascot Ottoman Storage Velvet Bed or create an indulgent space with our dark navy Ascot Ottoman Storage Velvet Bed. 

Airy, romantic or cosy, choosing a beautiful colour is key to building a dreamy bedroom. Lighter colours will enhance the natural light within your room, creating not only a relaxing hotel-like sanctuary but also the feeling of a bigger and brighter space. Or if you opt for a darker palette it will produce a more intimate cosy atmosphere - perfect for unwinding after a long day. 

The Best Colours  For Your Living Room

The living room is a place for relaxation, comfort and conversation. Therefore, opting for happy and calming colours is often a great place to start. Warm tones like yellow, red or earthy browns and beige will help to stimulate conversation. Try scattering green colour cushions across your sofa or discover our forest green click clack sofa bed to add a pop of colour to your living room. 

However, green is often a popular choice thanks to its calming and relaxing properties. It is considered restful as well as refreshing but has enough warm properties to boost comfort.  Rich and dark colours, such as maroon, can also make a room feel sophisticated and luxurious. 

How To Choose Colour For Your Bathroom 

Your bathroom should be a serene sanctuary, and colours play a big part in creating this atmosphere. Neutral colours like white and beige are the perfect starting point. Using fluffy white towels or a natural bath mat can effortlessly transform your bathroom and can create a minimalist and modern haven which is perfect for relaxation. Grey towels and bathroom accessories can also create a contemporary and glamorous feel.

Yellow and orange are a great way to add colour to your bathroom to help boost energy and confidence whilst green and blue can inject thoughts of nature and evoke calming sensations of happiness. 

The Psychology Of Colour For Your Kitchen

A great way to use colour psychology in your kitchen is to choose colours that help stimulate creativity. Bright colours like yellow help to increase energy, putting us in a creative mood which is great for cooking. The colour red can also help to stimulate your appetite, meaning red accessories could be the perfect addition to your kitchen. 

These warmer tones will also help to make your space feel cosy and inviting even through the colder winter months. However, the lighter your colour scheme, the more spacious your kitchen will feel. If you are a little pushed for space, a lighter colour will help to make the room feel bigger and brighter. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing Colour

How Do You Choose A Cushion Cover? 

The best place to look for inspiration when choosing colourful cushions is your own home. Look for colours that perfectly complement your home decor. Whether you choose to go bold with pink or sage green cushions or want to create a sophisticated monochrome look with grey cushions, opt for tones that best match your furniture, curtains and walls. 

How Do You Clean and Care for Cushions?

You may not want to wash your cushions every week, but with a few top tips, you can keep your colourful cushions feeling fresh and luxurious. Firstly, you shouldn't let your cushions get flat, simply plump them up daily to ensure an even distribution of filling to keep them looking their best. Next, you should always spot clean to treat stains straight away by using a cloth to gently dab any liquid and dirt. 

If your favourite cushions are ready for a wash, remember to always read the label. Some cushions may indicate dry clean only, whilst others can withstand a hand wash or you can even pop them in the washing machine at a low temperature. 

How Does White Impact My Sleeping Space?

Crisp, white bedding is an excellent option for any sleep space as the neutral tones don't stimulate the brain, unlike bright coloured hues. White bedding has a relaxing effect and can be paired well with colours such as blues and yellows to help you achieve the ultimate night's sleep. 

How Do You Add Colour To A White Bedroom? 

White is the perfect blank canvas that allows you to bring personality to your bedroom. Add colour through a handful of accent pieces, such as bright throws, scatter cushions, artwork and more. This will help break up your crisp white space without overpowering the space. 

How Do You Choose Colours For Your Throw?

Choosing a throw in the same colour palette as the rest of your space is key. For example, if you have a blue rug and curtains you should pick a cosy throw in a lighter or darker shade to add some contrast. You should always coordinate your comforting extras, but don't go overboard with your matching as it could spoil the collected vibe of your space. 

How Do You Wash A Throw? 

The material of your throw can affect how it should be washed, so it is always best to make sure you check the care labels before washing. From regularly airing outside to storing with a dryer sheet, there are several ways you can keep your throw smelling fresh between washes - check out our guide on how to wash your throw for more tips.

How Do You Choose a Bath Towel Set?

If you are looking to create a spa-like bathroom, choosing the right towels will help to elevate your space to the next level. As well as being an everyday necessity, bath towel sets are a plush accessory that can add a luxurious feel to the bathroom. There's nothing like a fluffy bath towel display to cocoon yourself in after a steamy hot shower. Check out our guide for top tips on how to choose the perfect bath towel set

How Do You Coordinate Bathroom Towel Colours?

When it comes to coordinating your bathroom towels, you should consider how they will look as part of the overall space. Darker towels will, of course, darken the whole appearance of your bathroom, whereas lighter, white towels will leave your space feeling airy, lighter and more open. If you have a small bathroom, we recommend you consider white or light-coloured towels that coordinate with your decor. 

How To Clean and Care For Towels? 

As bath towels are a plush essential, you will want to ensure they are kept as pristine and fluffy as possible. Our worst nightmare is watching our favourite delicate towels turn rough within a few cycles in the washing machine. From the machine being on the incorrect settings to not drying our towels the correct way, there are many factors when it comes to how snug your towels will feel over time. For top tips on how to clean and care for towels, check out our guide. 

Will you be considering the psychology of colour when decorating your home? We'd love to hear all about it. Let us know on Facebook or Instagram. For more top tips, check out our advice on the DUSK blog.

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