Designer tips for creating a room's mood based on colour

The colours in your home can have a direct impact on your moods and thoughts. Get the desired mood for your home with this decor guide to colour.

CBC Life · Posted: Mar 13, 2017 11:59 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 13, 2017

One of the most powerful ways to evoke emotion is through colour. Colour psychology is the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. Every colour has a physiological value and can actually influence perceptions that are not obvious, such as the taste of food. This is why it's so important to choose colours wisely when it comes to your interior decor! The colours in your home can have a direct impact on your moods and thoughts.

Trying to decide what feel you want to create in your decor? This colour break down will help you achieve that desired mood.

Red

There's no denying it – red makes a statement. It is one of the most intense colours and it gets the blood pumping. This energetic hue raises a room's energy level. It generally inhibits relaxation and gives a sense of importance – think red carpets. We chose Hot Apple Spice for the walls – a darker, richer shade in order to emphasize power and add a sense of sophistication without making the room feel overwhelming.

Paint is a fairly inexpensive way to transform a room very quickly. But fabric, carpeting, furniture and accessories can also have a direct effect on the way a room makes you feel! To enhance this mood, add in accessories with warm woods, warmer metals, woven rugs, rattan baskets and interesting accessories.

We like to incorporate orange and yellow accents into a red room. Both of these colours evoke excitement and will add a nice, bright touch to your space. The right yellow will lift your spirits and your self-esteem!

Red walls and accessories are generally too stimulating for the bedroom. However, red is the perfect colour for your office – a place where you need to be awake and get things done.

Blue/Grey

Blue is the colour of calm and security and it also creates a feeling of safety. We opted for a deeper shade of blue called Cyberspace instead of a lighter one because it makes the room feel luxurious. Here's a secret: the deeper the shade of blue, the more enveloped and warm it makes you feel. To enhance this cozy mood, add in different textures. Texture makes the space feel luxurious and sophisticated! Think fur throws and velvet pillows.

Opt for black accents that will ground your space. They also lend a sense of sophistication and glamour to a room! When designing your blue room, pay attention to furniture lines. Opt for structured pieces to create a feeling of importance. To pull the room together, we used over-dyed rugs from Ikea to enhance the mood.

This blue room makes you feel more relaxed than motivated – it's the kind of space you'd want to curl up with a book and a glass of wine. So, this colour and moody accessories combo is better suited for a bedroom or den than in an office where you need to get things done and be productive.

Blush pink

From the accessories and furniture to even the wall color, there is nothing that feels heavy about this space. Pink is nurturing and physically soothing. It represents feelings of being nurtured, femininity and love. Although it's a shade of red, pink soothes rather than stimulates. We chose a gorgeous shade of pink called Misty Blush for the walls.

Accessorize a blush pink room with linens and soft fabrics to create a sense of calm. We also love chrome and brushed brass with blush. Materials like Lucite that we incorporated on the bar also work well! Look for furniture with rounded edges to enhance this mood. The furniture from South Hill Home that we chose feels whimsical and airy.

To bring in a soft natural element, we used a white-washed oak as the flooring. And for the walls, we used some Impressionist artwork and a feather headdress instead of harsh black and white photography or moody oil paintings. This allows the room to feel more airy and relaxed. This mood is best for a living room or a bedroom.