How to

The 3 colours to decorate your home with, to lower stress levels

Picking the best home colours for your redecoration mostly comes down to preference, taste and self expression. But colour has a powerful effect on our subconscious, with the right home colours having the ability to affect our mood and wellbeing without us even realising. The best home colours have the power to reduce stress – after all, your home needs to be a relaxing and welcoming space. So when decorating, choose colours that are proven to reduce stress, either as your base colour on your walls, or as the dominant hue in your furniture and accessories. This calming approach to colour is particularly effective in rooms where you go to wind down. So if you’re about to decorate – or upgrade – your living room, bedroom or home office, these are the best home colours for reducing stress.

Green

Green is one of the best home colours for reducing stress because of its visual alignment with nature – think trees, leaves and grass. Shades of green that mimic the tones found in forests and fields will instantly lift your mood, as we associate these places with happy memories and a feeling of being carefree. Add a green cotton throw and green terracotta candlesticks to your living room for instant stress relief. A green Moroccan rug in your bedroom will help lift your mood as night falls. And because plants are known for their purifying properties, green is one of the best home colours for your plant pots – a double hit of stress relief and fresher air. Woven green planters, filled with succulents, will serve serenity wherever you place them.

Blue

Blue is a calming colour, especially shades that mimic the sea and sky – places we typically associate with freedom. Using blue in your home will help to calm overthinkers and quieten the mind, making it one of the best home colours for your office, and an easy way to increase productivity. A blue vase full of pretty flowers, or a blue cushion on your office chair, are easy and affordable ways to incorporate the tone here. While in the kitchen, blue terracotta bowls will make mealtimes more mindful. Blue is also one of the best home colours for improving your quality of sleep, meaning it’ll work well in your bedroom too. Add a blue cotton throw to your bed, and feel the benefits at bedtime as well as the next day – a good night’s sleep will impact the time you spend out of home just as much.

Pink

Light pink shades, with violet undertones, create a sense of space and serenity. And they’re often associated with childhood, which helps to subconsciously revert our mind back to less stressful times. Because of its soft tones, it makes rooms feel light and airy. Which means pink is one of the best home colours for freeing our mind and giving us space to think. Add pink terracotta bowls, or pink and white terracotta plates, to your kitchen to make cooking less stressful. And drape a deep pinky red cotton throw to your sofa to help you unwind at the end of the day. But be careful of loading your home with too many red-toned pinks, as these may be too stimulating – red is typically associated with energy and aggression. If you’re looking to incorporate red into your interior decor, go for furnishings that offset their red and pink shades with other more calming ones. This patterned Moroccan rug is full of soothing home colours.