Colour Psychology

Red

Associated with: danger, passion, energy, warmth, adventure, optimism

Best for: dining rooms as it promotes sociable and lively feelings, and stimulates the appetite

Pitfalls: it can be overpowering and lead to headaches. Either vary the shade, paint one wall red, or use it for accessories only. Don't use red in a baby's room.

Pink

Associated with: love

Best for: bedrooms as it can be peaceful and restful.

Pitfalls: can appear to be very girlie and sickly sweet. To counteract this, introduce hints of dark charcoal or black.

Orange

Associated with: stability, reassurance, warmth, and is thought to aid digestion

Best for: living and dining rooms

Pitfalls: might keep the occupant awake when used in a bedroom. It can make a room look smaller because it's an advancing colour, so make sure the room gets plenty of light.

Green

Associated with: nature and energy, calming and restful, balance (halfway between red and blue) security, stability

Best for: bedrooms, living rooms

Pitfalls: too much green is thought to make people too complacent or too laid back. Inject some red or orange to counteract these feelings.

Yellow

Associated with: sunshine and energy, stimulates the intellect

Best for: kitchens, dining rooms or north-facing rooms

Pitfalls: not very restful for a bedroom. Yellow is thought to enhance feelings of emotional distress.

Lilac

Associated with: spiritual matters - suggests the misty area between the sky and heaven, feminine

Best for: bedrooms and bathrooms to create a stress-free sanctuary

Pitfalls: can be insipid. Liven it up with black or silver, or both.

Purple

Associated with: creativity, fertility, joy, but also magic, evil, death and sex

Best for: bedrooms

Pitfalls: can be overpowering

Brown

Associated with: security, stability and very practical

Best for: living rooms

Pitfalls: introduce a livelier colour for mental stimulation such as green or blue

Black

Associated with: death, eccentricity, drama. It's a non-colour that absorbs colour and reflects nothing back.

Best for: using in moderation

Pitfalls: depressing - think of all those angst-ridden teenage bedrooms. Use it to temper the sweetness of sugary colours such as pink, but don't use it as a base colour.