Colour therapist reveals the shades to avoid when decorating your home

Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt a sense of calm or comfort? 

The colours you use to decorate your home make all the difference when it comes to creating the right vibe. 

Blues, yellows and greens are often associated with happiness and relaxation – but what about the colours you should steer clear from?

According to colour therapist Momtaz Begum-Hossain, red and black should be avoided at all costs if you want to create a peaceful atmosphere in your home – or at least used sparingly.

Red is best ignored in interiors because it can be overstimulating and is associated with anger, while black soaks up all the light in a room.

‘As the most energetic of all colours, red is overly stimulating, so it can make you alert rather than relaxed and trigger feelings of rage and anxiety,’ says Momtaz.

Of course, it does depend on shade.

‘Bold scarlet reds are the most dominating while a darker maroon is less intense,’ she continues.

If you love red, you don’t need to disregard it all together. Instead, pops of red in decorative items can make your room feel welcoming.

‘Adding red accents in the finer details like in an ornament or a vase of roses will make a space feel welcoming but not intimidating enough to make anxiety flare up,’ says Momtaz.

While black walls and furniture can look modern – and even luxurious – if done right, Momtaz says it’s rarely fit for purpose. 

‘Black absorbs light, darkening a space, and it also lacks energy making a room feel flat and gloomy,’ she says.

‘When the atmosphere is missing, a room becomes cold and in cold spaces, communication suffers. You may find that conversations between you and your housemates, family or partner break down in a black room.’ 

If you want to create an inviting and relaxing space, pastels are where it’s at, according to a survey by 247 Blinds. 

Yellow was considered the most mood-boosting colour, followed by blue, purple and green.  

‘Historically and culturally yellow has great significance,’ says Momtaz. 

‘The Ancient Egyptians revered yellow as it symbolised the sun and the sun gods they worshipped so they would often use it in their art.’

She adds that the colour yellow can help you to make decisions and boost your focus – so crack out the marigold, lemon, and ochre when you’re decorating your home office.

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