Standing in front of your local hardware store’s selection of paint colour swatches, you might assume one white tone is just as good as another, right? Well, it turns out, there’s a psychology behind your home’s exact colour choices.
Dark brown sand and bright white tones
To create a space conducive to concentration and study, take typical neutral colours and make them stand out. One way to do this is to choose a bright, bold white and pair it with an earthy dark brown sand colour. “Neutral colours are generally accepted to include white, off-white, plus variations of cream, beige, achromatic hues, and varying shades of gray,” O’Connor says. These are traditionally very calming colours, but if you take a bright white and pair it with a dark sand colour, the white becomes more of a pop of activity that still keeps the flow of other neutral spaces in a house. “In the most active areas of the home, a clean white base offers a calming constant between spaces,” says Sarah Peterson Major, director of residential design at BHDM Design. “As you move from room to room, the energy of each space shifts but the neutral backdrop acts as a grounding element.”
Light pink or coral and turquoise tones
While seemingly from different colour families, this colour combo works well together. Susan Hayward, founder of Susan Hayward Interiors, says to combine these for a subtly energizing effect. Coral offers a pop of energy while turquoise brings in the soothing effect of natural colours.
Lilac and off-white tones
For a room with a calm but not too sleepy feeling, choose lilac and off-white.
Orange-red and charcoal-gray tones
Want to encourage people to enter a room and be social? Choose this colour pairing. Charcoal gray will provide a nice juxtaposition that isn’t as dramatic as black.