COLOUR YOUR MOOD

Taubmans president TIM WELSH explains how to inspire emotion with certain hues

How do you want to feel in your home? Perhaps cosy, energetic or calm. Well, aside from the furniture and decor you choose, it turns out you can influence the vibe of your interior simply through the colour of your wall paint.

“We all instinctively know the colours in our homes affect our moods,” says Tim Welsh, president of paint brand Taubmans. “Now, we have research [from a recent Colour Emotion Study] that scientifically proves that painting your walls in different colours can bring out a whole a range of emotions.”

Here’s what splashes of colours to use to achieve your desired feeling…

If you want to feel relaxed…

TIM WELSH

While Tim acknowledges that some of us may think of grey as a dull, boring and somewhat depressing colour, the truth is in fact far from it.

“The right shade of grey has a very soothing and cooling presence,” he says. “As a perfect neutral, it works well with a whole range of other colours, which you can easily create a relaxing space with. Pair with similar tones such as lilac to transform any space into a tranquil area you can feel at home in.”

If you want to feel cheerful…

You may have guessed this one but the colour yellow equals pure happiness!

“Sunny yellow shades came in high as the colours that create a cheerful emotion,” says Tim. “If painting a whole room yellow [is too] scary, there are ways to bring the emotion of this colour to the home in subtle ways. For example, using geometric [shaped decor] can lift the energy of a room and softly create that cheerful emotion.”

If you want to feel cosy…

This is perhaps one to keep in mind for next winter, unless you want a cosy space in your home all year round.

“A big trend at the moment is darker shades, just like our colour of the year – Night Watch,” says Tim of the brand’s unique shade of green. “As a bold choice, it’s best to use these colours in spaces where you want to create a moody, cocooning space.

“Night Watch works perfectly with a multitude of furniture styles and accessories. Pair with natural materials like leather and wicker to give a nod to tribal styles or use velvet and marble to bring Hollywood glamour to your home.”

If you want to feel calm…

Tim recommends opting for a pastel blue tone if you want your space to feel cool, calm and collected.

“As one of the colours of nature, it’s not surprising a soft pastel blue tone came in as the most popular choice when our study participants were asked about which colours made them feel calm,” he says.

“This is because pastel tones are less saturated than primary colours, making them feel light and soft. They’re perfect to pair with neutrals to create a feeling of earthiness and sophistication.”

If you want to feel excited…

It’s all about orange if you want to feel energised in your living space.

“Orange is warm, inviting, optimistic, social and extroverted,” says Tim. “It has a more balanced energy than red due to the mix of yellow – it’s not as passionate but still full of vitality.

“Painting a whole room orange might be a little too much, however it can be used as a feature with artwork and other accessories to bring the emotion of this bright, enthusiastic energy

into your home.”