How to use colour for peace, communication and happiness

By Pnina Fenster

For as long as humans have existed, colour has been essential to our experiences, survival and happiness, from indicating the availability of food and water to providing easily understood mass communication, from its sweeping cultural and historical symbolism to its effects on our individual physiology. So powerful and precious is colour that shades like purple, crimson and ultramarine were once more expensive than gold, and the sole preserve of the rich and royal. Intrinsic to political, social and religious orders, invaluable to corporate identity — just think of Tiffany’s signature turquoise, Louis Vuitton’s chocolate brown, McDonald’s golden arches and Coca Cola’s bright scarlet — colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%.

On a mundane level, our often-unconscious reactions to colour affect us constantly, from the washing powder we’re drawn to at the supermarket to our impression of a stranger in the queue. If you’ve recently bought something on impulse, chances are up to 90% of your decision was based on colour. And it’s no coincidence that the vast majority of chain restaurant logos feature red, a colour found to quicken breathing, raise the heart rate and increase hunger.

These instinctive reactions run far deeper than simple preference. Our brains experience and process colours in a variety of ways, associating different hues with particular characteristics.

Shades of the Centuries

Modern science measures colours in terms of their wavelengths — wavelengths which produce electrical impulses or fields of energy that affect the human body. But the fascination with colour as a therapeutic tool goes back millennia. The ancient Egyptians used colour in their healing temples and lists of ‘colour cures’ have been found on papyrus dating to 1550 BC.  The Indian system of chakras links parts of the body, energy and consciousness with particular colours. The ancient Greeks used coloured stones, salves and sanctuaries for wellbeing. And China’s 2000-year-old medical texts, the Huangdi Neijing, include the use of colour in diagnoses and remedies.

If you feel instantly calmer when you walk into a blue-themed room, happier when you wear a favourite yellow shirt, energised by a red wall, or inspired by a green forest, you’re right in line with colour psychology — a field which explores the ways in which our moods, behaviour, functional ability and even short-term memories are affected by the colour of our clothes and interiors, and the landscapes and natural light in which we live.

Want to explore the effects of colour in your experiences, self-expression and home? Try these tips and tricks…

IN YOUR WARDROBE

Black Clothes

The colour of mystery, power, prestige, solemnity and strength, black results from the complete absence or absorption of light.

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look bold, elegant, serious, authoritative, strong but not overly assertive. And, of course, it’s the last word in versatile sophistication — the pinnacle of which is the little black dress revered ever since it was created by Coco Chanel a century ago. Add gold or silver  for rich accents or enliven with brights, white, blue or tan to avoid looking sombre.

Blue Clothes

The colour of clear skies and calming water, blue frequently tops polls when it comes to favourite shades and has long associations with truth, clarity, wisdom, loyalty and stability. It also has a relaxing effect linked to lowered blood pressure and heart rate.

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look confident and centred, to act as a balancing presence, to appeal to a wide range of people, or to bring clarity to a stressful situation.

Brown Clothes

Like the earth beneath our feet, brown is associated with stability, patience, wisdom and strength, and it can be discreetly luxurious, unobtrusive and confident.

When to wear it: If you’re looking to feel and look stable, cosy,  nurturing, classic. Don’t want to risk drabness? Add camel, cream, gold or bronze.

Green Clothes

The colour of luck, fertility, growth and harmony, restful green produces the least amount of eyestrain of any colour and is associated with nature, safety and renewal.

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look approachable, welcoming and fresh. Try wearing green when you’re meeting new people, starting a project or embarking on a fresh chapter in life.

Orange Clothes

The colour of fire, vitality, enthusiasm and juiciness, orange is stimulating and energetic.

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look active, social and exciting. Orange is not as aggressive as red, but it’s powerful and sure to attract attention, so if full-on orange feels too much, try a scarf, bag or shoes.

Pink Clothes

The colour of youthfulness, sweetness, nurturing, love and romance, pink ranges from the innocent pastels to unabashed and dramatic cerise.

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look inviting, playful, approachable, nurturing and compassionate. Pink is especially great for romantic occasions and  celebrations with loved ones.

Purple Clothes

The colour of mystery, magic, aristocracy and the fantastical, purple has long been linked to royalty on account of its historic rarity and cost (pigments for purple were once derived a seashell found only in what is now Lebanon).

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look unusual, regal, creative and luxurious. Or, for a touch of mystique, go with purple accessories.

Red Clothes

The colour of passion, sexuality, anger and attraction, red is one of the most complex of colours — associated with prosperity in some cultures, with danger in others, and capable of being regal or down market.

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look bold, powerful and vibrant. Red is great for parties and celebrations and, of course, sensual dates. And a little can go a long way, so just a touch can work wonders.

White Clothes

The colour of peace, simplicity, perfection and cleanliness, white is associated with innocence in many western cultures and with death in some eastern traditions, but whatever the context, it evokes purity

When to wear it: If you want to feel and look fresh, cool and optimistic, if you’re beginning something new, or when you want to bring serenity and ease to a stressful situation.

Yellow Clothes

One of the happiest of hues, yellow attracts attention and is associated with joy and optimism since it’s been found to raise happy-making dopamine levels in the body.

When to wear it: If you want to enhance communication, inspire creativity and let the sunshine in when you’re socialising, out and about or need of a mood boost.

“For example, is it a private sanctuary intended for relaxation, or a welcoming space for entertaining?”

Bright, warm colours like yellow, orange and red are great for walls and accessories in communal spaces like an entrance hall or kitchen where you want to encourage cheerfulness. By contrast, blues and greens bring tranquillity to retreat spaces like bedrooms and  bathrooms. If you’re aiming for an intriguing, dreamy mood, shades of purple and grey bring mystery and imagination to private areas and bedrooms. One of Jessica’s  favourites: “Pale lavender that’s on the edge of grey.”

And to evoke warmth, comfort and security in communal areas like family rooms or outdoor spaces, Michelle recommends neutral and earthy shades like tan, taupe and brown, with a variety of textures and tones for interest.

Not sure how dark to go with paint? “The more white you add to a colour, the more pastel and peaceful it will appear,” says Jessica.

Blue Decor

“A blue interior feels soothed and secure and blue can be refreshing or soft with just a few accents,” says environmental psychologist Lee Chambers. “If you feel brave, deep indigo is a surefire way to boost your mood.”

Relaxing and serene, blue can help lower blood pressure, clear the mind and steady breathing, and in one comparative study, participants felt most calm and hopeful after working in a blue office.

Green Decor

“Green can be wonderfully stimulating if you’re striving for personal growth as it  reminds us of the natural world,” says Lee.

One of the most restful colours to the eyes, green calms nerves. It also helps to clear the mind, making it a good choice for a study or office, as demonstrated by research in which participants working on a long-term project performed better after breaks in which they looked at green rooftops than in breaks when they looked at concrete ones.

Grey Decor

One of the most popular wall colours of all, timeless grey works with a range of other colours. But be careful of painting every wall grey and avoid extremely dark shades, warns Lee: “Too much dullness can create a depressing mood.”

Purple Decor

Rich and dramatic, purple is associated with romance and mystery, as a full-on theme or just in the details.

“Both sophisticated and personal, purple walls can benefit any room, even a home office because it brings a sense of balance and enhances creativity” says Lee.

Orange Decor

Zesty, exciting and vibrant, orange is powerful, revitalising and fun, so try it in a space where you exercise or socialise.

Just use with care. As Lee cautions. “Like red, orange can evoke intense emotions.”

Pink Decor

“I see pink as the colour of hope and motivation,” says Lee, underscoring a phenomenon known as the Pink Effect in which exposure to large amounts of pink have been found to relieve anger, aggression and neglect, and to enhance calmness.

Worried about a sickly-sweet effect? Opt for dusty or pale pink.

Red Decor

Dramatic, memorable and stimulating, red energises a space instantly, and it has wonderful associations with Valentine’s, Christmas and sensuality.

“But be careful of the shade and amount you choose,” says Lee. “Some reds can make people feel more aggressive and irritable, and less compassionate.”

Tap into red’s attractions via a statement wall, or accessories like lamps, rugs and throws.

White Decor
White and variants like cream can make a room feel more spacious, pure and fresh, and simply painting ceilings white or off-white can create the impression that the walls are higher and the room larger.

Yellow Decor

Ideal for a kitchen, living room or any space in which you want to encourage imagination, communication and creativity, yellow evokes what colour expert Amy Wax describes as “a warm, spirited feeling which improves people’s moods,”

Her recommendation — a soft, gentle yellow — is supported by Lee’s caution that walls painted in dark yellow can cause tension.