Colour does a lot more than just enhance a home’s decor and style. The right colours have been shown to have many benefits from influencing moods, creating a focal point and indicating a clear purpose to evoking memories and even increasing productivity. However, many people feel daunted about the idea of introducing bold, vibrant colour into their homes.

While we always recommend a neutral colour palette when selling a home, as it’s important for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living there and their furniture and decor fitting in, it’s a different story when styling a home to suit yourself and your family.

Here are some of the powerful roles colour can play in the home:

1. Colour can set the mood

This is one of colour’s most powerful but commonly underestimated qualities. For instance, to create an uplifting, happy space, colours like turquoise and vibrant yellow work wonders. Or to create a restorative calming atmosphere, muted greens are great in bedrooms while earth-toned shades of terracotta are soothing and relaxing in common areas of the home.

2. Colour can boost productivity

Even with COVID restrictions eased, many people are still choosing to work and study from home. According to colour experts, utilising saturated colour can be a great way to enhance productivity and signify the purpose of a designated area. Good colour choices in a designated study, office or work zone include various shades of vibrant yellow or rich blue. For instance, rich blues encourage deep thinking and creative ideas. It is also a calming colour and helps draw people into conversation when used as a background colour for a Zoom call, for instance.

Another effective way to bolster productivity is to introduce greenery (indoor plants) into your office or study space.

3. Pops of colour add character reflective of who you are

Don’t be afraid to be adventurous when it comes to colour that reflects your personality, taste and style. One tip however, which will help ensure the longevity of your colour feature when used on a permanent structure such as a wall, is to choose neutral shades for investment pieces like sofas. You can always be more playful and adventurous with colour in your soft furnishings and artwork.

At the end of the day, unless you are planning to sell, don’t worry about what appeals to everyone else. It’s about the colours that make you and your family feel good in your home.