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Colour & Moods
In the start of a new series, interior designer Charlie Smith focuses on colour and
how it effects our mood.
COLOUR AFFECTS PEOPLE in many ways,
depending on age, gender, background and also our
climate. In fact, colour is the single most important
design element when creating spaces that reflect our
mood. So when we decide to redecorate our homes,
the colour we choose is very important and you
need to keep in mind that every colour has a
psychological value.
To start, think about how colours make you feel: joy,
sadness, sensual, powerful, relaxed, envigorated and
many senses inbetween. We are soothed by certain
colours and excited by others. Think how children’s
nurseries are a riot of colour or how hospitals use
muted tones. We also use colour to describe our
personalities, attract attention, make a statement, or
follow the trends, thus making a design statement.
Ultimately, we should aim to use colour to turn our
house into a home.
Colouring our Homes
There are limitless colours, tones and tints that calm
or excite us, elate or make us feel down, warm or
cool us. There are intangible influences of colour
that can tug at our taste buds or appeal to our
emotions. From childhood through to adulthood,
the colours in our environment affect and express
our deeper impulses - this is not always verbalised
or even understood. We are totally unaware of it.
We have all walked into a home or a space and
instantly felt an inviting warmth, a sense of greeting
before we have even sat down and spoken.
18 x R&A HASLEMERE & VILLAGES
Although we are not necessarily aware of it, we are
responding to the overall, yet silent, language of
colour.
Moods
Mood is a very interesting word. We have silly
moods or quiet moods; we can be 'in a mood' or not
in one at all. Colour, or lack of it, is the key to
creating our interior moods. From the moment we
enter a space, we are soaking-up the sense of colour
that surround us. It is the first thing we notice when
we enter a room and the last message remaining
when we leave. Colour is such a powerful presence
in our lives, the more we learn about it the more we
will be able to use it to enhance our living spaces
and well-being.
Questions to ask when choosing colours for a room:
What mood am I trying to create?
Which colours make me feel happy?
Which colours make me feel sad?
What colours give me a nice feeling?
Do I want an elegant room?
A traditional room?
A clean and pure room?
A tranquil room?
A stimulating room?
A cosy room?
I have a very quick ten minute mood test for you.
Take a roll of plain white lining paper (from any DIY
February 2013