At some point in our lives, we’ve all walked into a room that made us feel instantly calm. Most of us can also probably relate to stepping into a space that made us feel uneasy and restless.

Well, a big part of both feelings comes down to colour. That is because colour psychology in interior design plays a very influential role in how we experience our homes. Everything from the shades on our walls to the tone of our flooring, and even the colour of an outdoor structure, can influence our mood, energy, and stress levels.

Hence, once you understand how colours can affect a person’s mood, it becomes easier to design spaces that genuinely support your wellbeing. With that in mind, here’s our guide to how colour psychology in interiors can affect mood and stress levels.

How Does Colour Psychology Impact Interior Design?

In interior design, colour psychology is the study of how different colours can influence human emotions and behaviour within a space. It examines how tones can evoke a range of feelings. They include:

• Calmness
• Focus
• Warmth
• Energy

For example, shades of blue and green are often associated with relaxation. Likewise, yellows can feel uplifting and dark greys may feel grounding. These reactions are influenced by a range of factors, such as biology, culture, and personal experience.

In homes across Australia, this idea is becoming more widely embraced. In particular, people are placing more emphasis on interior design for mental well-being. With everything from paint choices to furniture selection, being considered to create a relaxing living space that makes daily life less challenging.

You can even see this thinking in commercial settings, such as healthcare environments. Many use supportive designs like mental health furniture from Knightsbridge, where colours and materials are chosen carefully to achieve a state of comfort and reduced stress.

Similarly, at home, the same principles apply. Largely because when you choose colours with purpose, you build an environment that works with you rather than against you.

How Exactly Do Colours Affect Our Mood and Emotional Well-being?

Our brains respond to colour so quickly that it tends to happen before we even think about it.

Most of us see warm tones like red, orange, and deep yellow as being energetic and social. Therefore, they can increase our alertness and activity levels. By contrast, we usually register cool tones such as blue and green as being calming and steady. This is why understanding how colours affect mood is so important in interior design. 

Effectively, the colours around you influence how you wake up, work, relax, and sleep. For instance, warm or cool colour tones influence how big or small a room feels, while lighter cool tones can open up a space. On the other hand, darker warm tones can make it feel cosy and enclosed.

When planning the colour scheme of your home, it helps to think about the purpose of each room. If you do this, you’ll go a long way to ensuring that the colours you choose actually support what you will do there.

How to Choose the Right Colour for Each Room?

Every room in your home has a different purpose. Some need to feel sleepy, relaxed and calm, while others will naturally have a bit more energy. Here is a general overview of what colours best suit each different type of room.

Bedrooms

Your bedroom is a place where you go to relax, sleep, and generally rejuvenate. For this reason, you would be wise to stick with calming colours. These can include blues, soft greens, and gentle neutrals. All of which will send signals to your brain that it is time to wind down.

Living Areas

Living rooms, by definition, are multi-functional parts of your home. It is, after all, a place where you can relax, read, or watch TV. But it is equally suitable for entertaining guests or listening to music. Subsequently, the colours you use need to be adaptable for all of these purposes.

That is why most designers plump for warm neutrals, earthy tones, and subtle mood-boosting paint colours in living rooms. It helps to create a welcoming space that doesn’t feel overstimulating.

Your Home Office

For those who work from home, their office is a place where they need to focus. To help them do this, cooler tones are often employed to provide mental clarity. In particular, light blue or muted grey can help with concentration and productivity.

Outdoor Living Areas

For pergolas or patios, and other outdoor living areas, use natural timber finishes, charcoal frames, and soft cream roofing materials. Doing this will extend your interior palette into the backyard.

There is no doubt that having a cohesive colour scheme between inside and outside can create a relaxing, seamless living space. It can even make entertaining areas feel more connected to the home.

How to Create a Relaxing Living Space Through Colour and Design

Colour can be extremely powerful in interior design. However, it works best when it is combined with other design elements.

Lighting, for one, can change how colours appear because natural light enhances soft tones and keeps rooms feeling open. Artificial lighting, conversely, can warm up cooler shades in the evening.

Textures, including timber, linen, and stone, can influence a room’s mood. Predominantly by adding warmth and comfort. Likewise, indoor-outdoor flow is also important. That is because when your pergola, deck, or patio uses similar natural tones in home design, it extends the calm atmosphere beyond your walls.

If you adopt this approach, it should make your property feel larger and more balanced.