Colour isn't just cosmetic - research into the physiological effects of colour shows that distinct colours have a very real ensue on mood and behaviour, together with stimulating appetite, encouraging creativity and even alleviating pain.
According to Angela Wright, author of the The Beginners Guide to Colour science of mind (Colour Affects, 12.99), 'There are four psychological original colours - red, which relates to the body, blue to the mind, yellow to the emotions, and green, which provides a balance between the three. Shades and tints of these rule how they influence us.'
Chromatherapy (the use of colour as a condition treatment), has been used in the western world since the early 20th century. But long before then, old Indian and Egyptian cultures used colour to treat ailments, and feng shui practitioners have always used colour as a means of helping create harmonious living spaces. June McLeod, author of Colours of the Soul (O Books, 7.99), says 'Colour is the most prominent notice for any space, it's transformational.' So use it wisely.
Blue: good for bedrooms, bathrooms and dieters
Sitting room
Do use green, orange and brown. Green refreshes, restores and brings harmony to our environment. Orange and yellow are optimistic and welcoming, encouraging group interaction and fun. Used well, black and grey impart clarity and sophistication. Misused, they can be menacing. Black's friendlier cousin, brown, can convey the same drive and glamour but with warmth that comes from the addition of red and yellow.
Don't use red or dark blue. Unless you want a pure party room filled with frenetic energy, don't use sharp red, which is simply too stimulating for a living space. Conversely, dark blue is cold and formal - save it for the boardroom.
Hallway
Do use roughly anything. As the hallway is where you spend the least time, it's the one space in your home where you can go bold and use colours which may be overpowering elsewhere. If fuschia's your passion, indulge it here.
Don't use mustard yellow. 'Whether you want to create a light and airy feeling to the entrance of your home, or a vibrant, passionate mix of colour, the choice is yours,' says June McLeod. 'The one no-no in the hallway is mustard yellow - a colour traditionally related with things going missing.' Not so handy when you're seeing for your keys.
Kitchen/Dining room
Do use white, yellow and orange. White represents cleanliness and hygiene, but too much can strain the eyes, effectively reflecting the full spectrum into them - think interrogation techniques! Add accents with crockery and appliances. Yellow is uplifting and encourages sociability, while orange speaks of the corporeal comforts of food and warmth, as well as stimulating the appetite - notice how many restaurants are painted in warm, orangey tones.
Don't use blue and black (especially if you are a foodie). Dieting? Try serving food in a blue room off blue plates - scientists even recommend fixing a blue light in the fridge. The lack of blue food in nature means we don't have an self-operating appetite response to the colour, instinctively rejecting it in case it's poisonous.
Got the blues? Read our Ten step guide to getting a good mood home. It honestly does work, we promise.
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