In fact, it's said that looking at the color blue can produce chemicals in the body that promote calming. If you don't want to go full-on blue in every room in your home, you'll still feel the calming effects by choosing colors that have elements of blue, such as a warmer gray, blue-green, or soft purple.
According to a study, the secret to a calming room is navy blue—and there's science to prove it. The University of Sussex and British papermaker G.F. Smith did research that found navy blue is a calming color—in fact, the most relaxing color in the world.
Blue: Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant. Turquoise symbolizes calm.
'Blues and greens are prominent in nature and are great colors to support relaxation and restoration,' explains Lee, 'paired with warmer greys and white can also give us a feeling of peace and a chance to recharge our batteries.
Blue. Though blue is a very basic and indeed a classic color, it is also a color that is very soothing to the mind and helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.
Green – Quiet and restful, green is a soothing color that can invite harmony and diffuse anxiety. Blue – A highly peaceful color, blue can be especially helpful for stress management because it can encourage a powerful sense of calm.
“Shades of blue or green are known to have a relaxing effect—perfect for creating a serene feeling at home,” says Nicole Gibbons, interior designer and founder of the paint company Clare. “Everyone has their own preference on relaxing colors, but soft cooler colors seem to feel right for most,” adds Yeo.
Grey. According to color psychology, the color grey implies a dark state of mind, a colorless and monotonous life; grey is also associated with misery and depression, so it is easy to see why it is a color that is known to cause anxiety.
According to color psychologists, the most stressful and anxiety-inducing color is 'red'. Red room ideas can be too intense for some people – could your red decor be one of the reasons why your friends hate your house?
Cool colors—green, blue and purple
Green, blue and purple are cool colors; they can be seen as calming, soothing, nurturing, subdued or even sad (e.g., blues music, the “baby blues” or Picasso's Blue Period). They're often popular with brands promoting health, beauty or security.
Colors like red and orange increase anxiety and stress, sometimes even fear. Red and orange are associated with an emergency that can elicit images of emergency vehicles with their lights and sirens on.
Cool colors such as blue and green are known to evoke feelings of tranquility and serenity, while warm colors like red and yellow can create a more energetic and uplifting atmosphere.
Light Yellow for Happiness
There's a reason yellow is associated with cheeriness. "This yellow has a subtle, luminous quality that feels like warm sun rays and awakens all five senses," Kim says. "Yellow is a natural source of positive energy and sparks feelings of happiness."
When it comes to depression colors, gray and blue tend to be high on the list of those associated with low mood. In a 2010 study using the Manchester Color Wheel, experts found gray was the color people pointed to when asked to reflect feelings of depression.
The green ribbon is the international symbol of mental health awareness. Wear a green ribbon to show colleagues, loved ones or simply those you walk past that you care about their mental health. It can also be worn in memory of a loved one.
According to color psychologists, the best color to reduce stress is 'blue'.
A light gray is the perfect base for a calm room. The subtle shade softens a room without making it too dim, and the room can be decorated any way you wish.
Research studies discovered red to be the best color light to help you sleep, because it increases production of melatonin as well as full darkness. On the other end of the spectrum, blue is the worst.
Pink has been known to suppress anger and anxiety and have an overall calming effect. It is often used in mental health care institutions and even prisons to help create a sense of calm.
We all know that the state of our homes can affect our mood. But it wasn't until our friends at the online design service Decorist tipped us off to a certain Minnesota State University study that we realized just how powerful color can be. The key findings? Red increases stress, while green and white decrease stress.
Yellow is the colour of inspiration, happiness, and the sun (the power source of life). It also symbolises communication, self-esteem, and power. Even scientific research state that the hormone associated with happiness increases by yellow colour.
Yellow is usually the color of happy, joyful emotions.
Red. The colour most commonly associated with love, it makes sense to have this one up top. From blushed cheeks and ruby lips to love-hearts and roses, red is a fiery colour that conjures up feelings of passion and intensity.
A person surrounded by yellow generally feels optimistic because the brain releases more serotonin when surrounded by the color yellow. Also, yellow enhances concentration and speeds up the metabolism.