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Do you have those overwhelming days where you’re so stressed out that you just want to crawl into bed and hide away? People often have no time to purge stress in a healthy way. They end up lashing out or experiencing Burnout. But COLOUR is an easy way to combat stress. It’s like a pre-emptive strike. Use colours to improve your mood.

Colour is a subtle and inescapable influence on our emotions. Colour is a subconscious influence. Each colour invokes different feelings. Adding more colour to your home can be a fun way to combat daily stress. And you can justify that your upcoming decor shopping spree is for your mental health.

Inject certain colours into your home and workspace to make all your days fabulous. Paint your walls, add some colourful décor, or do both.

There are six particular colours that calm us:

• White
• Pink
• Turquoise
• Violet
• Green
• Yellow

I’ve created 6 concept boards built around these colours – all with different styles. These boards will give you an idea of how to use colour in your home.

Are you ready to relax your frazzled mind? Let’s have a good look at those six colours:

WHITE

Picture a room that evokes serenity and purity. You’re most likely to be thinking of a place that has a strong presence of white. No other colour evokes such virtue and ease. It perfectly soothes your senses and busy mind. White suggests simplicity. This is why it always features in minimalistic designs. It makes you feel safe and clean and gives you a positive outlook.

Most of the walls in my own home are white – except for a few feature walls. It brightens a home where windows are lacking. When your walls are white, all the other colours in the room begin to pop and draw the eye. White is a serene base that represents a successful beginning.

Paint your walls in an off-white. Make sure it pairs well with the natural light entering windows and doors. Pick at least three whites and do some sample swatches on different walls. Paint the majority of your walls white and you’ll have peaceful vibes in your home.

If you’re going for an ‘all white’ space as in the dining room example below, use texture to soften and cosy up the room. Textures give your eye things to look at and comfort you, even if you’re not conscious of the effect.

PINK

Despite the perception that pink is frivolous, it is the most calming colour. It blends the tranquillity of white with the optimism of red. Pair it with chocolate browns or classy dark charcoal for a chic transformation.

Pink surroundings have proven to calm aggression as well as evoke happiness and a light mood. The more masculine members of Western society may be a bit put off by a blushing pastel. This is likely thanks to association with a certain doll. Pinks with an orange or brown undertone are a more masculine option. Adding a dose of your perfect pink to your bedroom or sitting room will give you a dash of glamour and romance. Pair vintage rose with sage greens for your office (at home or at work premises) to make your workday a good one. Have a look at the board below for inspiration.

TURQUOISE

Refreshing and friendly, turquoise is a colour that will brighten your day. It manages to be both energising and calming. Turquoise balances our emotions. It makes you feel joyful and light – leading to positive thinking and spiritual grounding. When your mind is in this state, you become more confident in decisions. Which means less anxiety.

Turquoise is great for a creative environment – I have first-hand experience of this. At a previous job, I chose to paint the main wall of my office a turquoise shade (Plascon Mermaid Jewel). My colleagues were sceptical of the choice, but they ended up adoring it. The opposite wall had a bank of windows – the natural lighting was great. The room became an uplifting and tranquil haven. It was the least stressful office in the bustling kitchen manufacturing company.

Turquoise promotes communication and friendship. Making it quite suitable for a main living area. Are you inclined to use vibrant colours in your home? Have a love of global cultures, and carefree layering? Try a global/boho lounge as in this concept example.

VIOLET

Violet infuses the quiet calm of blue with a touch of passionate red. It raises your spirit and brings luxury to your space.

Violet is one of the most ancient colours used by humanity, especially royalty, but it is a trick to the human eye. Our retinas can’t really ‘compute’ what’s going on and give us charming Violet. Because of the way the three colour-sensitive cones in our eyes work, we see the sky as blue when we should see violet. It’s something to do with the scattering of light particles in the retinal cones. It goes over my head a little bit.

We don’t need to have an in-depth science class here. Just know that those amazing lavender dawns and twilights are the real colours of the skies.

Mysterious Violet encourages creativity and imagination. It teaches us compassion, sensitivity and self-reflection. Perfect for a teenager or young adult’s bedroom. Edgy Violet inspires and energises us.

An entire Violet room or wall may be a bit much for most though. In the concept board below, I’ve introduced violet via soft furnishings and decor. Pops of violet hues add sophistication to an otherwise black & white space.

GREEN

When you’re feeling anxious or storm off, where do you go to calm down? Instinct is likely to draw you outside. We want to escape the enclosing walls and the tension within them. Surround yourself with nature’s healing colour that soothes the mind and spirit.

Green is nurturing and renewing. It calms the soul and promotes the health of the body. Hospitals and Doctor’s rooms often use green in their décor. It’s a subtle way of promoting good health. Green is compassionate and harmonious. Green is stability and abundance.

In the adventure-inspired office in the concept board below, I ground the space with a green area rug. Along with the photograph of a misty African plain, it is evocative of being outdoors. Natural textures plus plenty of indoor plants will definitely elevate your mood.

Adding houseplants to your home accomplishes a triple effect. Most of them are green – what better way to bring nature into your home than literally adding plants? They clean the air in your home – especially the snake plant pictured. And having plants in strategic spots all around a room is oh-so-chic.

Ask any interior designer/decorator on YouTube.

YELLOW

Sweep out negativity with the happiest colour on the wheel. Yellow doesn’t take life too seriously; it brings out the fun in your day. It’s known as the colour of good cheer. With Yellow in your surroundings, you are self-confident and optimistic.

Did you know that Yellow also relates to the intellect? It will encourage mental perception and inspire inquisitive minds. Yellow is logical and allows one to focus, making it perfect for an office or dorm room. It makes you hopeful while challenging your perceptions.

A workplace staff rest area is a great space to add yellow to. In the concept board, vivacious lemon accents transform a modern monotone area. Yellow brings the fun. Pair sunny hues with a palette of grey, white and pale wood for instant style.

Use yellow sparingly with selected items. A quirky pineapple painting. A Mustard rug. Canary yellow books on a shelf or coffee table.

Warm light bulbs in your fittings will also bathe the room in honey tones.

Do you already have a room that features one of the colours I’ve mentioned above? How does the room make you feel? Open your senses to receive the message that colour is communicating to you. Colour is all around you. You cannot escape it.

Embrace colour and choose how you want your rooms to influence your mood.

If you’d like me to create a concept board for your upcoming project, please drop me a message here.

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