Mood Boosting Interiors | 247 Blog

Tips

Posted 03/01/2023

Ever wondered how much your interior choices can impact your mood? It’s probably a lot more than you think. During the colder and darker months, we naturally spend more time indoors, and our emotional states can subconsciously change with the colours we absorb.

We recently surveyed 2,000 Brits to understand how the different seasons and colours can impact our mood. Working alongside Momtaz Begum-Hossain, Colour Therapy expert, and our in-house interior designer Amy Wilson, we’ve uncovered the biggest mood-boosting interiors that invite plenty of happiness and joy into the home.

The winter months of December to February can be harsh on our mental health in the UK, and common terms such as ‘January Blues’ or ‘Blue Monday’ fill the news agenda.

In our survey, we found that well over half (65%) of British people suffer from lower moods in January and February than they do during the rest of the year. Sadly, women are also affected worse than men, with the results being 10% higher for females.

If you suffer from low moods, SAD or just are in need of some dopamine-driven content, keep scrolling as we reveal the biggest mood-boosting interiors (& blinds) to provide a healthy dose of home inspiration that will have you picking up a paintbrush and ready for a makeover!

How Colour Affects The Brain

Mumtaz explains; “Every colour is a light wavelength that radiates a particular energy. These energies make us feel a certain way which impacts our mood and emotions. For example, red is a high-energy colour, it’s a long wavelength and it makes us feel alert and awake, while a soft lavender shade is the opposite, it has a much shorter wavelength and gives off lower energy creating a calming effect.

“Understanding how particular colours can make us feel helps us turn to them when we need them. So, if particular colours make us feel more confident we could wear them in situations where we need to boost our confidence or, if we want to relax and de-stress, we can incorporate colours into our home that create a calming atmosphere.”

Biggest Mood Boosting Colours

It seems that the bedroom (43%) and living room (40%) are areas of the home where we feel the most relaxed. If you’re thinking about giving your home a spruce, it’s a good idea to consider these rooms and where you spend the most time.

We also asked 2,000 people which colours made them feel the happiest and the most relaxed, allowing us to delve into your ‘mood-boosting’ interior choices…

The results indicated many pastel tones within the colour wheel, with greens and blues taking centre stage. With yellow ranked the most popular ‘happy colour’, Mumtaz explains the significance behind this particular colour.

“The reason yellow is usually the biggest mood-boosting colour is to do with its connection to the sun and sunlight, which naturally promotes positivity. Historically and culturally, yellow has great significance. The Ancient Egyptians revered yellow as it symbolised the sun and the sun gods they worshipped so they would often use it in their art.

“Another positive trait of yellow is its ability to help you make decisions. If you’re overwhelmed by choices, you may be lacking in yellow energy. Surround yourself with yellow soft furnishings at home to boost your decisiveness and focus – you’ll instantly feel a more positive mindset.”

How colour & light can improve mental health

Mumtaz explains; “Within the practice of colour therapy colour can be used and applied to provide balance and clarity and to reduce symptoms such as depression, anxiety and seasonal affective disorder. Colour is not a substitute for a prescribed medication that’s been advised by a healthcare professional, but it does have healing properties that can provide comfort.”

Let In The Light

“Having exposure to light is more important than specific colours as light can ease the symptoms of SAD and other similar mental health conditions. Focus on letting light into your home. Ensuring it filters through as much as it can during daylight hours will have a positive impact on you. Your choice of curtains and blinds will help you make the most of this winter light.

With blinds, you can control the amount of light you let into your home, especially with Wooden blinds and Roman blinds. During the winter, open your blinds fully and appreciate the full energy of the light that comes in, even on overcast days when the sun is hiding, it’s still better to experience natural light. If you can’t go outside, having windows where light isn’t restricted, for example, having your blinds up will help you feel the benefits, then when the evening draws in and the air is cooler you can close the blinds and feel cosy and snug.” says Mumtaz

Most relaxing views

When asked which views they found the most relaxing, those surveyed declared the sea and fields of florals were the top choices. Including lots of curved lines and waves, these shapes play a role in the premise of a perfect view, as designs can mimic the shape of a wave or something delicate, such as a flower.

Mumtaz adds; It’s not just wallpaper, prints can be appreciated in soft furnishings, tiles, Roman blinds and curtains, while ornaments are the details that help a space function and make them look good like your choice of cupboard handles and lampshades, all of which can be updated for different seasons.”

Amy shares how to use different patterns in the home;

“Making a statement at your window with a patterned blind is a clever decor tip to introduce more pattern and joy to your room as well as making your room feel bigger by embracing this often overlooked part of the home”

“If you have a neutral scheme in your home, consider a bold fabric design with a jungle or tropical pattern to add an on-trend injection of style to your room”

Mood-boosting decor inspo

Now we’ve locked in the perfect mood-boosting formulas, it’s time to get inspired! From sage greens to pretty purples, find your favourite styles for your next dopamine decor renovation.

Yellow

“Yellow is a colour that can be incorporated into most schemes thanks to the many shades available - from soft primrose to bright acid tones, there really is a yellow to suit every scheme. For the maximum dose of happiness go for the boldest yellow you can; a strong yellow will work equally well in a neutral pared back scheme as it will in a dark palette where the contrast will work perfectly.

“Combining a softer lemon shade in a roman blind with a pair of white linen style curtains in front would create a lovely gentle scene for a bedroom.” Says Amy

Blues

“Duck egg blue is a very popular choice due to its’ design flexibility - it pairs well with most colours and can work equally well in a green or blue room as well as adding some nice contrast in a fresh white scheme.

“Dark blues work particularly well on heavier fabrics like velvet and will add instant drama to your room if you opt for full length curtains to floor and sit them in front of a contrasting bold wallpaper pattern on the walls” says Amy.

Greens

“Green is often a popular choice for bedrooms due to its association with nature and generally restful aesthetic. Sage green or moss green can create a scandi scheme if combined with some natural tones and black accessories such as picture frames and curtain poles.” says Amy.

Purple

“Purple is a marmite colour but is set to be hugely on trend for spring summer 23 so why not reconsider a way to embrace this colour into your home? If soft lavender and pastels are not for you and you prefer a more contemporary scheme, why not opt for a more high octane bold purple in an all white room?” says Amy.

If you’re considering a room makeover and want advice on the best blinds or curtains for your home, contact our interior designer for more styling suggestions at [email protected] or visit our Inspiration Hub for some creative inspo.

References

*We surveyed 2,000 Brits during November 2022 using Censuswide as our third-party provider.