What is colour psychology?

I’m a big fan of The Great Indoors podcast (and as an aside you should most definitely check it out for some brilliant tips and tricks on home decor), and was intrigued by a recent episode on colour psychology.

The lovely Sophie and Kate were chatting with Karen Haller - an expert on design and colour psychology. Check out her blog here and her Instagram here. They talked about the influence colour has on our wellbeing, and I love Karen’s belief that we should decorate for ourselves because colour is so subjective. Our feelings towards colour vary so greatly on a personal level, which is why following trends is unhelpful. Instead we should learn to understand which shades make us feel good, which colours we are drawn to, rather than worrying about how others are judging our homes.

How can colour psychology help me decorate my home?

The explosion of interiors imagery across social media platforms has further compounded our tendency to copy others, and this follows the days when Farrow & Balls’ Elephant’s Breath was the only shade anyone would paint their homes in! Karen explains that someone’s negative reaction to your home which has been decorated in a way that doesn’t align with their personal tastes is in no way a negative reflection on you. It is more a reflection of their own unique likes and dislikes.

The upshot? Go with the colours, patterns, materials that make you feel fabulous. Go with your instinct and try not to overthink when choosing items for your home.

Getting clarity on the colours which make you tick is a great way to gaining confidence when it comes to decorating your home. (It’ll help in choosing your wardrobe too - added bonus!) Become clear on the colour palette which makes you and others in your household tick, and this will give you clarity on which shades you’ll all agree on. It’ll give you the boost to be brave enough to pick that darker shade paint or that bright wallpaper, because you’ll know you’re going to love it.

How to uncover your colour personality

Let me now explain how to figure out your ‘colour personality’. Colours are categorised into the four ‘seasons’ and according to experts, most of us have one predominant and one secondary season. There are personality tests out there that you can do to discover yours. I am predominantly summer, with a bit of secondary Winter thrown in.

In The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology, Angela Wright identifies the four colour palettes that follow the seasons.

The Spring palette

Spring is light, bright, airy and clear. The colour palette for spring has no black. The colours are fresh and their clarity comes from their lack of grey. The spring season is all about: energy, new life, optimism and excitement. The palette we see blooming around us is delicate, but vivid and fresh.

The spring personality is upbeat, fun, energising, creative, inspirational, bubbly, light-hearted, joyful, approachable, welcoming, fresh, lively, optimistic. Springs are spontaneous, carefree, love nature and being outdoors.

Colours include: watermelon red, apricot, baby blue, aquamarine, lilac, cream, vanilla, sunshine yellow, apple green, coral, baby pink, lemon sorbet and camel.

Here are some tips if you’re a Spring personality and looking to accessorise your rooms. light-coloured floors and reflective surfaces are key to allowing as much light into the space as possible. Accessorise with plenty of eclectic business but keep it light; glass vases with fresh flowers, lots of plants and botanical prints.

The Summer palette

Summer’s palette is also light, but the shades of summer are dulled with grey. The classic Farrow & Ball colour card falls fairly neatly into the summer camp and these tones are soft, understated and elegant. Imagine those large dusky summer flowers, like hydrangeas, wisteria, lavender and antique roses; the colours are greyer than they are in spring, as they’ve been faded by the sun.

According to colour psychology, summer personalities are more reserved than springs. They are cool, calm and the palette is correspondingly soft, muted and gentle. Summers like for everything to be thought-through and considered. They are organised and prefer to avoid the limelight. Summers are demure characters and ooze effortless, understated elegance.

Colours include: rose pink, plum, dried sage, washed denim, dusky lavender, mauve, taupe, oyster white, chalky teal and maroon.

My tips for styling your summer palette home: try mid-tone colours in natural fabrics like linen, organza, cashmere and velvet in washed-out hues. Less pattern is more for the understated look, but instead focus on plenty of texture and patina. Use bleached out or light wood with plains, and full, fresh flowers as a focal point. Invest in classically shaped, soft-edged furniture and comfy, soft seating.

The Autumn palette

Autumn is an earthy palette and the colours of this season reflect this. They are yellow-based but with more intensity because of the addition of black, which gives this group their jewel-like depth. The palette is full-power intensity with grounded cosiness. They are rich, warm and wholesome.

Colours include: vermillion, caramel, rust, saffron, burnt orange, olive, forest green, teal blue, aubergine, deep pink, sunflower yellow, ivory white, chocolate and stone. They range from gentle and soft to statement and flamboyant.

Autumn personalities are warm, outgoing, jolly types. Autumn is earthy and grounded, so these personalities like being outdoors and love being around people.

Style your autumnal palette with texture, artisanal fabrics and wallpapers. Vintage, handmade, statement pieces of furniture will also fit well in this palette. ‘Casual and cosy’ can be achieved with lots of wool, sisal and timber.

The Winter palette

Winter’s palette is the only one to contain pure black and white. It’s bright and cool. Winter colours are modern and bold.

Winter personalities are colour psychology’s cool, precise and neat personalities. They often like sharp lines, minimal, uncluttered spaces and contrasting colours.

Colours include: black, white, magenta, pillar box red, citrus yellow, pistachio, ice blue, pure grey, royal purple, shocking pink, charcoal, silver, chrome and midnight blue.

Styling should be strong, but minimal, using hard lines, graphic prints and bold colour to accentuate architectural details.

We don’t just look at our homes, we feel them, they are experiential, sensory, all-encompassing. What is cosy and warm to a friend might be sterile and cold to you, so its really important to channel your true passions at home by finding your colours. Finding your season can really help to create flow and cohesion easily around your home but above all, it’ll enable you to create a home which truly makes you feel amazing every day.

Find confidence in your interior style through colour psychology