Have you considered how the colours around your home can affect your mood?
Colours can influence how we feel, alter our mood and can completely change the look and feel of our home. Having an awareness of what kind of mood you would like to create for each room are the first steps into creating a space that reflects your personality. Home accessories with texture, patterns and shapes all play a part in adding that special touch to your home. Which leads us into different decor types like Dopamine Decor. The kind of decor you choose can greatly affect your living space.
Colour Psychology
Colours induce a range of moods. Warm colours like Red, Yellow and Orange create an energetic and welcoming atmosphere. Cool colours like Blue, Green and Purple create a soothing and calm vibe that can prevent feelings of anxiety. “ Colours often dictate our mood, it is a psychological and emotional tool. Combining the physical plane with a psycho emotional response”- Jean Lin, creative director of colony. The color of emotion
This takes us into how different colours can impact our mental health, Dawn Karen a fashion psychologist says “ If someone has bright colours in their home, they have gone through a traumatic experience or a downturn in their life. So now they want their home to be a reflection of themselves and everything they would like to feel”. As someone that has been through a traumatic experience I can agree with this as my own home is filled with reds, oranges, whites and strip lights which serve in brightening my basement style flat. When you grow up in a bland home with not much colour, depending on your personality and what these colours mean to you, you tend to gravitate towards this as you get older as you know you have the control to self express through your home.
Creating the mood
Warm colours are best suited for kitchens and dining rooms because this bring an energetic feeling, high energy and high vibes. Which is great for entertaining and keeping your guests attention. Cool colours work best for bedrooms and bathrooms as these are the rooms we want to relax in or get a good night’s sleep. We react differently to different colours, it is important to find the shades that resonate with you and then consider how the room will be used.
How home decor accessories affect your mood
The colour, tone and use of any room is important but when you blend those rooms with home accessories that have texture, patterns and shapes. This evokes further influence and feeling, it takes it a step further in completing the mood of your space. Rough textures give the feeling of being grounded and can add a visual depth, Soft furnishings create an area where you can feel cosy ,de-stress and re-charge. Patterned and shaped decor accessories create a feeling of movement, energy boosting and almost animated.
Dopamine Decor
In the large awareness of mental health over the last couple of years, it’s a conversation we openly have without the feeling of shame from our peers as it has a profound effect on us within our day to day lives. Dopamine decor has entered the chat ! DD is about getting the most out of your space and giving you the happiness boost that can last for days. To create this aesthetic use bright reds, oranges, yellows and lively blues. You want to blend this with bold, abstract, geometric designs and floral prints. This could be in the form of cushion covers, rugs, throws and wallpapers. These create a sense of movement and increase the dopamine levels in your brain.
Minimalism
Minimalism is the complete opposite of dopamine decor, it aims to give you the feeling of less is more, simplicity and neutrality. It focuses on the important aspects of the room like a dining table or the area around the television. Colours and accessories used for this style are white, cream/ivory, black and grey. These colours represent cleanliness, elegance, formality, calmness and purity. If you relate to the style and feeling of simplicity, this kind of decor is right up your street. Sometimes you may want to add a touch of colour to give it a little umph, pastel or neon objects that will add that touch of colour without it being too loud. for example if you wanted to create a natural feel with a splash of colour.
There are various methods you can choose to find what best works for you, apply the methods above and do what you are drawn to. Pair that with your personality and what you want your home to represent. Do the colours within your home affect your mood? Self-expression should be fun and fulfilling, get creative and create your safe space!