What Do Your Colour Choices in the Home Say About You?

Whether you’re walking down the street in the small fishing port of Tobermory, browsing the antique market on Portobello Road in London, or driving through the suburban streets of Bristol, you’ll notice each streetscape has one commonality - the houses are all painted in bright shades of salmon pink, deep blue, green, and bright yellow. Back in 2009, the Daily Mail reported on a survey conducted by Sandtex Paints, which revealed that these eccentric home colours are more than just a means of beautifying the cityscape. The eccentric exterior colours of the homes on each street actually reveal something interesting about the people residing inside.

The survey, which collected data from 3,000 people, revealed some interesting information about colour and its relationship to wealth, education, and relationships. For example, people living in blue houses were more financially successful than individuals living in houses of another colour. On average, those living in the blue homes earned approximately £38,000 a year (over $71,000 CAD) and owned a car. These residents were also more likely to have two children, be in a long-term relationship, and reported having at least four close friends. In contrast, green homeowners were the poorest, earning only £13,100 a year on average (just under $25,000). Despite residing in the lower end of the income bracket, these individuals ranked themselves to be relatively happy, especially in terms of their family and relationships. These findings are extremely interesting considering that, in a study conducted by the Cooper Marketing Group, blue was most frequently cited as the favourite colour of Americans (35%), closely followed by green (16%).

Though there are debates in the field as to whether the study is scientifically based or purely coincidence, psychologists and colour specialists alike maintain that there is a strong relationship between colour and our psychological and emotional states. Colour has the power to make you more productive, can help you relax, and can even dictate your diet. Colour is “a universal, nonverbal language, and we all intuitively know how to speak it,” colour consultant Leslie Harrington told WebMD. “What colour you paint your walls isn’t just a matter of aesthetics,” she elaborates, “[i]t’s a tool that can be leveraged to affect emotions and behavior.”

Colour therefore taps into something more primal, and the psychological and emotional associations of the colour spectrum have profound effects on our mood and daily life. “When I learnt the profile of the average blue homeowner, it made perfect sense,” Angela Wright, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology, told the Daily Mail. “Blue is the colour of the mind, a colour for planners, so it makes sense that people who paint their houses blue are successful.” On the other hand, it is no surprise that homeowners living in green coloured homes reported high levels of satisfaction in their personal lives. Green is the colour of balance and people whose lives are well balanced tend to be the happiest.

Colour choices in the home

Since different colours reflect different personalities and have varying effects on our emotional and physical state, it is important to consider colour when painting the interior and exterior of your home. Below we’ve compiled a quick guide to colour in the home so you can plan your home accordingly.

Red: This colour is stimulating, perhaps because it is the longest wavelength, which means it  appears to be closer than it actually is, demanding our attention. Studies have shown that this colour increases your heart rate, raises blood pressure, stimulates appetite, and elevates your metabolism. It is best to keep this colour out of the kitchen and reserve it for spaces like the dining room or living room where it can help stimulate conversation and create a lively atmosphere.

Orange: This lively colour is stimulating like red, but also associated with warmth and comfort. Warm colours like orange can actually raise the perceived temperature of a room. Orange is therefore ideal for rooms that face north and receive the least natural light and warmth from the sun. Muted and natural shades of this colour are also perfect for outdoor spaces or the front door where it will facilitate a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Yellow: Like the other warm colours in the spectrum, yellow is stimulating and associated with energy. In western culture, it is often associated with the sun and therefore connotes positivity, energy, and happiness. Softer shades of yellow can create a calm sense of happiness and the illusion of light, making it a great colour for livening up darker rooms or hallways where movement is the main activity.

Green: This colour is located at the centre of the spectrum, creating a sense of balance, security, and restfulness. On a primal level, green is associated with nature and growth, and taps into a restorative mood. This colour is perfect for the bedroom where the goal is to rest both the body and mind.

Blue: Blue is associated with intellect and calms us rather than stimulates us. Glasgow capitalized on the calming effects of the colour by installing blue lighting in public areas susceptible to crime. The experiment resulted in a visible decrease in crime, and other countries including Japan have reported similar findings. In the home, this colour not only creates a soothing atmosphere but also suppresses the appetite. It is therefore the perfect colour for a kitchen or a bedroom where individuals retreat to relax (and should avoid nighttime snacking).

Violet: In the study conducted by Sandtex Paints, more than a third of the people living in purple and pink houses reported sending their children to private schools. This is perhaps because the colour is associated with luxury and leadership. Unfortunately, violet is difficult to decorate with because it is located near the end of the spectrum and absorbs the most light, creating dark spaces. Though it is associated with royalty, spirituality, and contemplation,  it is best reserved for accents rather than the main focus of a room.

Though we all come to the table with a different set of memories and cultural associations, colours can convey messages that go beyond ethnic, gender, and racial boundaries. Light and colour influence how we perceive the world, and in turn, ourselves. If we understand and tap into the psychological effects of colour, we can create a home that serves as an oasis for both the mind and body.