How wall colour paint can affect your mood

By Leticia Wogu

Now that the New Year 2019 is here, many have made some New Year resolutions and some have outlined goals to be achieved.

One of the goals for some people this year may be to redecorate their houses and offices by painting or repainting. Research has shown that painting is the most attractive packaging effect one can give to the home or work environment. It is also a fact that painting is one of the most helpful and quickest ways to bring life and refreshment to homes and offices while also adding value to the building.

A run-down home or office environment can suddenly come alive with a few coats of paint on the walls.

In choosing colours for your homes or offices where you spend long hours every day, however, you have to choose wisely as colours can have a great effect on your mood and general wellbeing.

According to freshome.com, “colour affects people in many ways depending on age, gender, ethnic background and climate.”

Colours like red and orange are referred to as warm colours, while blue and green are known as cool colours. In cold climes as in Europe and America, the entryway of a home is usually painted in warm colours to give off an atmosphere of warmth, while in warm climates like the tropics, blue and green are used in a room to give off a cool ambience.

You may have noticed that when you walk into a room or office, your mood suddenly changes to that of boredom, depression, calmness or excitement, and so on. Watch out, therefore, the change in your mood could be as a result of the colours on the wall.

Let’s look at some of the common paint colours and how they can affect your mood:

White: 

White is known for its versatility and timelessness. It has a clean and modern effect and can make a small room appear more spacious and airy. It is best blended with other colours to bring out their glow and for the room to avoid appearing cold and too serious.

For the office space, however, white, according to research, gives off a feeling of loneliness and coldness as if one is in a medical facility. Studies show that it is the worst colour to paint an office as it can hinder productivity. If it must be used in the office, use it as an accent color blended with other colours.   

Red:

Red is known to raise the energy level in a room. It is an intense colour and can raise the adrenaline more than any other colour. It is also believed to raise the blood pressure and heart beat. This colour is best where you receive a large number of people such as the living room as it helps to stimulate conversations and connections among people. This colour is also good for the dining room to stimulate the appetite. It is not the best colour for the bedroom since it raises the energy level and does not aid sleep.

In an office where physical energy is required, red is a suitable colour. This is because it energizes the staff to take on physical tasks. Fast food restaurants should also consider this colour for their walls and packaging as it could stimulate customers’ appetite.

Yellow:   

Yellow colour on the wall exudes a feeling of joy and happiness because of its brightness and feeling of sunshine. It is the best colour for kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms, small spaces and hallways.

The yellow should not, however, be overused in a space because, according to freshomes.com, people tend to lose their temper easily in a yellow room and research has shown that babies cry more in a room painted all yellow as well as it having the effect of making people frustrated and angry. It can also put a strain on the eyes if looked at for too long, so beware.

For an office that requires creativity in the staff, it helps the employees to come up with creative and innovative ideas.

Blue:

This colour is often referred to as one of the world’s favourite colours. It has a calming effect on people and it is best used in the bedrooms and bathrooms. But be careful also in choosing the shade of blue as deeper blues tend to evoke feelings of sadness and depression. Choose lighter shades of blue in your bedroom to help in relaxation and induce sleep and restfulness. Blue is also known to bring down blood pressure.

For office environment, blue is an excellent colour for the walls as it has a calming effect on staff and improves concentration. It can help to improve productivity of staff especially those required to carry out complicated tasks. There tends to be an increased rate of productivity in a blue painted office.

Orange:

This colour evokes a feeling of excitement and fun. It is a refreshing colour and is great for exercise rooms. It is best used on parts of walls, corners and small spaces in a room.

Just like the yellow colour, it boosts creativity in the work environment. So in an office where you need your staff to be creative and innovative, think of some touch of orange and yellow. Be careful not to overdo the colours though because orange which is a stimulating colour like red can leave your staff feeling hungry all the time.

Green:

This colour is best for bedrooms as it relieves stress and promotes better sleep. It is known to be the most restful colour for the eyes. It also has a calming effect and gives a feeling of comfort, peace and tranquility. It is also a good colour for kitchens and helps in unwinding. It is a great colour for relaxation rooms.

Painting an office in a light soothing shade of green can make your employers calm, relaxed and hopeful. It also makes your guests or customers more relaxed and welcome. Because it is restful for the eyes, it is best for offices where computers are used often and green colour is also good as wall paper for the computer screen.

Purple:

Purple is associated with luxury and royalty. It gives a feeling of sophistication. It is not very good for the bedroom as it stimulates the mind, encouraging creativity. It works better as an accent colour. The lighter shade of purple like lilac has a very calming effect, and is good for the bedroom.

Brown:

Brown is a cozy colour and the neutral shades of it are versatile and easy to decorate with. Brown also gives comfort in the room where it is used. Note, however, that dark brown without blending with lighter colours can make a room appear dark and gloomy.

Grey:

This colour gives a feeling of stability. Many men seem to love this colour. It is not a very outstanding colour on its own and when used alone can give a feeling of sadness and depression. It is, however, best to use grey with other colours as it can make other colours to stand out.

These are just a few colours of paint. There are many more lovely paint colours in the market like Pale Beige, Pale Mushroom, Cameo, Chocolate, Sienna, Pink, Rose Pink and many others.

Before heading off to buy paints this time around, consider the effects some of these colours can have on your mood. Use lighter and softer shades on more spaces and accentuate with darker or bolder colours like yellow, orange, red purple colours on smaller spaces.

Take your time to choose your paints and remember you are going to spend long hours in those rooms or spaces, so choose very wisely.