The psychology of COLOUR

by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Apart from the proven scientific qualities of colour, different colour shades can also have powerful psychological influences. The ancient mystics in China believed that each person has a distinctive aura that changes colour to correspond to their current emotional state.

Colour healing is still practised today and treats seven energy centres or 'chakras' (represented by different parts of the body) with particular colours to address mental or emotional imbalances. Colour healers believe that colours have individual energies and, curiously, the basis of this spiritual belief is not in conflict with the scientific explanation of colour having different wavelengths.

Research into the psychological effects of colour has shown definite changes in human heart rate and brain activity when enclosed in rooms of different colours, with the red and orange end of the spectrum proving to be more stimulating and the blue and green end of the spectrum more calming. However, such studies have shown that these effects tend to be short-lived, with the body soon adjusting to the surrounding colour. The saturation of a colour seems t have more impact than the actual colour, so intense colours are more arousing and low-intensity colours more relaxing, no matter what the hue. For this reason, it seems fair to assume that the most effective way of using your choice of hue to influence people in your home may be to use appropriate value colours in entranceways, to create an effective short-term visual impact for visitors.

Despite this far from definite conclusion, it should be recognised that colour continues to be used successfully in interiors to regulate the mood of those spending time there. Fast-food restaurants tend to use shades of red, orange and yellow, longer wavelength colours that are 

All believed to make you eat more. The paint manufacturer Farrow & Ball, who produce 'historic' paint colours specially developed for National Trust properties, have a deep red shade called Eating Room Red, a colour that was popular in the middle of the nineteenth century. Casinos also use red, as it imitate the colour of evening light and makes you less aware of the passing of time. 

There is also a corporation in Japan designing rooms around the temperatures of those living in them. They have worked particularly with hyperactive or inhibited children, typically treating the former type with saturated warm colours. Early studies even indicate that popular colours can increase or reduce productivity in the workplace. One study in the 1970's painted the whole of the working environment yellow causing the eye to create distracting negative after-images of its complementary, purple.

The colour blue is associated with calm and can be a powerful atmosphere-creator too, often used in prisons to reduce stress. Hospitals also tend t use white and other cool colours such as blue to create a healing, restful environment. It has been shown that people feel considerably warmer in red and orange rooms, and colder in violet, blue and green rooms, even when the temperatures are equivalent, and that, is the psychology of COLOUR.

Laurence's current book, DESIGN RULES is available now in all good book shops.