No matter how beautiful your individual pieces of furniture and furnishings might be, they should all complement each other in order to add financial and aesthetic value to your home. This is particularly true for walls and window treatments since they are one of the most visible design elements in your home. Choosing the right colour draperies is made easier when you have a better understanding of colour psychology. For example, using gray curtains in your bedroom can make you feel low after a long and stressful day and cause emotions like boredom and exhaustion. By contrast, blue and purple curtains can make you feel more relaxed and peaceful.
According to therapists, colours have a profound psychological effect on human minds. For example, certain colours can increase your blood pressure and even affect your eyes, while others have a calming effect and can increase energy levels. Selection of colour plays a key role in determining your mood. Here is a useful colour guide to help you choose the best colour(s) for your draperies.
Red
The colour red is often linked to love, passion and romance. It exudes warmth and has a great emotional impact, making it ideal for both living rooms and bedrooms. Custom and readymade drapery in a vibrant red can bring life and energy into an otherwise dull room.
Blue
Blue is a soothing colour known for lowering blood pressure and stress levels. It is the colour most often associated with comfort, making it ideal for bedrooms and bathrooms. When used in bedrooms, blue curtains promote rest and relaxation to ensure a sound sleep.
While blue spaces are perfect to lounge around in and unwind, pastel blues can look a little chilly and unwelcoming, especially if you have a small room. Warm, bright blues have a more charming effect and can uplift your mood instantly.
Green
Green curtains are perfect for bedrooms, where the colour exudes calmness, promotes good sleep, and makes the room look more spacious. It has a soothing effect on our eyes and is suitable for spaces that focus on rest and wellbeing. Green is also suitable for your home office as it signifies growth and prosperity and will help in reducing work anxiety.
Orange
The colour orange creates a sense of comfort, promotes positivity, and makes it easier to accept changes. Orange curtains are perfect for dining and living rooms, where family and friends gather for meals and conversation. It creates a healthy social environment and rejuvenates mind and body. Orange can also stimulate appetite and aid in digestion, making it a good choice for kitchen window draperies.
Yellow
Much like the colour orange, yellow promotes a sense of positivity, friendship, competence and happiness. Kitchens and guest rooms are perfect spaces to hang yellow curtains, as they instantly brighten your mood and make you feel more energetic. If you want to use yellow in your bedroom, go for a sunset yellow or any other mellowed shade of yellow.
Pink
The colour pink has calming properties and is often associated with love, kindness and compassion. In fact, it helps channel our emotional energies and alleviates feelings of anger and resentment. Since it has a positive effect on personal relationships, pink curtains are also perfect for your bedroom. Light pink draperies are ideal for both study rooms and kids’ rooms as they promote feelings of love, empathy and playfulness.
Purple
Purple is a rich, dramatic colour that is often associated with royalty, passion, luxury, sensuality and emotion. It also stimulates creativity and helps create a pleasant working ambience, making it perfect for study rooms and home offices. While deep purple drapes make living rooms look vibrant, lighter purples like lilac and lavender have a calming effect on your bedroom.
White
The colour white stands for purity, calmness, innocence, dignity and happiness. White gives a positive vibe that makes you feel happy and satisfied. Soft, soothing and tranquil, white curtains are perfect for creating a serene ambience in your bedroom.
Brown
Brown, a natural colour, evokes a sense of strength and reliability. Much like the Earth, this colour is often associated with safety, security, sophistication, resilience and dependability. However, when using brown curtains for a room, make sure that you have a bright interior decor so the space will not look drab and boring.
When Should You Mix and Match?
If you have neutral walls and want to create a happy feeling, mix and match the colour of your curtains. Use different shades of the same hue for a subtle look or solid multi-colours for vibrance. You can also choose a combination of black and white for a look that makes a statement. While white is associated with peace and elegance, black stands for power and authority. Combine them for an edgy monochrome palette.
Colour is a strong communication tool that is often used to signal action, influence mood, and even impact psychological reactions. While colour perceptions are somewhat subjective, some colour effects are universally recognized. This blog is a brief guide on different colour palettes and their possible effects on the human mind.
