Colour psychology says that some hues work better than others at encouraging particular activities and moods, with some colour consultants claiming that the colour you paint your walls can have a huge effect on the emotional wellbeing of your family.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a guide to the colour palettes you should be using for a happy home, whether it’s on your walls or in your decor.
Let’s start with the Living Room
Go for tones like yellows, oranges, and reds, paired with colours like brown and beige. When combined, these colours are thought to stimulate conversation because of their warmth. People tend to associate warmth with connection, and they’re inspired to strike up a conversation. Ideal for a communal area like the living room. Incidentally, it’s an autumnal palette, so it’s perfect if you’re going for a seasonal theme this month.
Onto the Kitchen
Do you have fond memories of the kitchen when you were younger? If you can recall happy family times in this room growing up, then it makes total sense to recreate the same colour scheme in your grown up kitchen. If you grew up with blue and white tiles, then it may inspire feelings of family if you reflect that when it comes to decorating.
If you can’t recall any kitchen-related fond memories then just ensure you avoid reds and yellows if you’re watching your weight. These colours have long been used by the restaurant industry as appetite simulators (McDonald’s for example).
The Bedroom
The bedroom is a place for rest so it makes sense to opt for cool colours like blues and greens for their calming effect. It’s thought that the darker you go, the more pronounced the effect is. Blues are chosen as they are the polar opposite to reds which tend to increase heart rate and blood pressure, stimulating activity. If you have a troublesome teenager begging to paint their bedroom a wild colour then it may make sense to let them for the sake of family harmony, however, a good tip is to allow it only under the proviso that they repaint it neutral before they move out.
Colours for the Bathroom
Bathroom are traditionally painted shades of white, but in this day and age, they have become a place for rejuvenation and relaxation, not just a place to wash up. Because of this, spa-reminiscent hues are often used such as pastel blues, greens, and turquoises. These colours are also favoured for their ties to feelings of cleanliness and freshness, and are widely used in the colour palettes of hygiene products. However, as most personal grooming takes place in the bathroom, you don’t want to paint it a colour you’d never wear as it’s bound to be unflattering when you look in the mirror.
DIY Painting Tips
Guide to Painting a Room
Getting Started
- Clear the room, gather all of your supplies, and lay out
- your drop cloth. (Fabric is better as it doesn’t get slippery like plastic).
- Scrape off any loose paint.
- Remove any nails from the wall and spackle any holes or imperfections. Sand smooth.
- Clean the walls and trim. Dust along the baseboards,
windows, and doorways with a damp cloth. - *Caulk along the trim.
- Tape off the room with painter’s blue tape for a neat edge.
Painting the Room
Prime
- Pour your primer into a small bowl and paint the corners and edges of the room with a brush first.
- If you’re going to paint the trim, you can prime it now too.
- Clean your brush when you’re done.
- Grab your roller and a roller cover, and pour your primer into a paint tray. (Alternatively use a paint grid instead of a try for easier clean up). Prime the walls.
Paint – Use the “W” technique for ease
- If you are painting the walls and the trim, decide which you will do first. Let’s assume you’re doing the walls first.
- Again, cut in first with a brush and then paint the walls
with a roller. - Wrap your roller and paint tray in plastic and clean your brush and paint bowl while you wait for the room to dry, then do a second coat.
- Clean your brush, bowl, tray, roller, and roller cover (if you plan to reuse it).
- *Caulk that keeps air and water out over time is a necessity
when sealing around the home. - For a long-lasting seal, choose permanently waterproof, flexible, shrink-/crack-proof 100 percent silicone.
- Avoid using acrylic caulk, which can shrink and crack over time.
