The impact of colour in the home

Have you ever had difficulty choosing colours for a new decorating scheme? A little colour psychology may be just what you need depending on whether you want to create soothing or productive spaces. A new infographic by Amara 'The Complete Guide to Colour Psychology' gives an at-a-glance overview of the theory of colour and the different connotations around the world. The research is worth keeping in mind when planning your the colour scheme of your property. Colour affects our mood and behavior and being aware of this can be used to our advantage. Red is associated with: danger, passion, energy, warmth, adventure, optimism Best for: dining rooms as it promotes sociable and lively feelings, and stimulates the appetite Pitfalls: it can be overpowering and lead to headaches. Either vary the shade, paint one wall red, or use it for accessories only. Don't use red in a baby's room Pink is associated with: love Best for: bedrooms as it can be peaceful and restful. A hot fuchsia can introduce passion Pitfalls: can be appear to be very girlie and sickly sweet. To counteract this, introduce hints of dark charcoal or black Orange is associated with: stability, reassurance, warmth, and is thought to aid digestion Best for: living and dining rooms Pitfalls: might keep the occupant awake when used in a bedroom. It can make a room look smaller because it's an advancing colour, so make sure the room gets plenty of light Green is associated with: nature and energy, calming and restful, balance (halfway between red and blue) security, stability Best for: bedrooms, living rooms Pitfalls: too much green is thought to make people too complacent or too laid back. Inject some red or orange to counteract these feelings Find out more about the effects of blue, yellow, lilac, purple, brown and black.