CHOOSING colour in a decorating scheme is probably one of the most agonising decisions for many people.
Colour can be used from furniture to rugs, paint, pillows, bed linen and bath towels to mention but a few.
According to interior decorator John Wright, colours can affect your emotional, psychological and physical state.
"Ask yourself which mood you want to create with colours.
"Things that need to be taken into account in selecting your colour schemes are the style and location of your home, the aspect of the house and each room, the quantity of natural light, personal preferences and existing furnishings," Wright says.
According to experts, this is the effect colours have on people.
Red raises your energy level, blood pressure, respiration speed and heart rate. It is a good choice if you want to stir up excitement, particularly at night. \
Red draws people together and stimulates conversation in a living room or dining room. If used in an entry way it creates a strong first impression.
Crimson can make some people feel irritable. It should be avoided as the main colour of a room because being in a room with this colour for long periods will most likely cause disharmony.
Yellow captures the joy of sunshine and communicates happiness and is a good colour for kitchens, dining rooms and bathrooms.
Yellow can feel expansive and welcoming in hallways and small spaces. But it should not be the main colour scheme of a room because it can cause people to lose their tempers.
When used as a main colour scheme it tends to create feelings of frustration and anger in people and causes tired eyes.
Blue is considered a calming, relaxing and serene colour and is known to bring down blood pressure and slow down respiration and heart rate.
It is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms.
But a pastel blue that looks good on a paint chip can be unpleasantly chilly when applied to walls and furnishings, especially when there is little natural light.
So balance blue with warm hues in the furnishings and fabrics if you're considering using it in a room.
Consider using warm blues such as periwinkle or bright blues such as cerulean or turquoise to encourage relaxation in rooms where people gather - living rooms and large kitchens.
Use light shades of blue for this because dark blue has the opposite effect. It invokes feelings of sadness. Refrain from using darker blues in your main colour scheme.
Green combines the refreshing quality of blue and the cheerfulness of yellow, making it suitable for almost any room in the house.
It is the most restful colour for the eye.
A sage or medium green in the kitchen helps cool things down, while in a family room or living room it relaxes the mood but at the same time provides enough warmth to promote comfort and togetherness.
It is considered a relaxing and pleasant colour, giving a calming effect when used as a main colour for decorating.
It is said to relieve stress and even helps with fertility, making it a great choice for the bedroom.
Purple in its lighter shades, such as lavender and lilac, promote the same restful quality as blue in the bedroom.
In its darkest values, such as eggplant, it is rich, dramatic and sophisticated and is associated with luxury as well as creativity.
Used as an accent or secondary colour, it gives a scheme depth.
Orange is a great colour for your exercise room because it evokes excitement and enthusiasm. It is an energetic colour.
The virtues of neutrals (black, gray, white and brown) lie in their flexibility. You can add colour to liven things up or subtract it to calm things down.
Use black in small amounts, especially as an accent to give your room some depth and to ground the colour scheme.
COLOUR YOUR HOME BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL
CHOOSING colour in a decorating scheme is probably one of the most agonising decisions for many people.
Colour can be used from furniture to rugs, paint, pillows, bed linen and bath towels to mention but a few.
According to interior decorator John Wright, colours can affect your emotional, psychological and physical state.
"Ask yourself which mood you want to create with colours.
"Things that need to be taken into account in selecting your colour schemes are the style and location of your home, the aspect of the house and each room, the quantity of natural light, personal preferences and existing furnishings," Wright says.
According to experts, this is the effect colours have on people.
Red raises your energy level, blood pressure, respiration speed and heart rate. It is a good choice if you want to stir up excitement, particularly at night. \
Red draws people together and stimulates conversation in a living room or dining room. If used in an entry way it creates a strong first impression.
Crimson can make some people feel irritable. It should be avoided as the main colour of a room because being in a room with this colour for long periods will most likely cause disharmony.
Yellow captures the joy of sunshine and communicates happiness and is a good colour for kitchens, dining rooms and bathrooms.
Yellow can feel expansive and welcoming in hallways and small spaces. But it should not be the main colour scheme of a room because it can cause people to lose their tempers.
When used as a main colour scheme it tends to create feelings of frustration and anger in people and causes tired eyes.
Blue is considered a calming, relaxing and serene colour and is known to bring down blood pressure and slow down respiration and heart rate.
It is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms.
But a pastel blue that looks good on a paint chip can be unpleasantly chilly when applied to walls and furnishings, especially when there is little natural light.
So balance blue with warm hues in the furnishings and fabrics if you're considering using it in a room.
Consider using warm blues such as periwinkle or bright blues such as cerulean or turquoise to encourage relaxation in rooms where people gather - living rooms and large kitchens.
Use light shades of blue for this because dark blue has the opposite effect. It invokes feelings of sadness. Refrain from using darker blues in your main colour scheme.
Green combines the refreshing quality of blue and the cheerfulness of yellow, making it suitable for almost any room in the house.
It is the most restful colour for the eye.
A sage or medium green in the kitchen helps cool things down, while in a family room or living room it relaxes the mood but at the same time provides enough warmth to promote comfort and togetherness.
It is considered a relaxing and pleasant colour, giving a calming effect when used as a main colour for decorating.
It is said to relieve stress and even helps with fertility, making it a great choice for the bedroom.
Purple in its lighter shades, such as lavender and lilac, promote the same restful quality as blue in the bedroom.
In its darkest values, such as eggplant, it is rich, dramatic and sophisticated and is associated with luxury as well as creativity.
Used as an accent or secondary colour, it gives a scheme depth.
Orange is a great colour for your exercise room because it evokes excitement and enthusiasm. It is an energetic colour.
The virtues of neutrals (black, gray, white and brown) lie in their flexibility. You can add colour to liven things up or subtract it to calm things down.
Use black in small amounts, especially as an accent to give your room some depth and to ground the colour scheme.