Send the winter blues away with these mood-boosting colours

Send the winter blues away with these mood-boosting colours

By Elena Koycheva on

It’s that time of the year again. The nights are getting longer and the days are shorter and darker the closer we get to winter. As much as we love autumn and its gorgeous colour palette (plus cosy nights in binge-watching our favourite comfort Netflix series), this season can bring a tricky time for those of us affected by the so-called ‘winter blues’.

‘Winter blues’, or officially known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a common mental health condition that every 1 in 14 people have. The shorter days and less sunlight during the colder months can have a big impact on our mood, as well as lower our energy levels and desire to go out, socialise and generally find sources that are rich in the oh-so-desired hormone Serotonin.

So, what can we do to beat the winter blues? Well, one thing that would definitely help boost our mood and general wellbeing is definitely the improvement of our surroundings, specifically our home (think of the bedroom and living room in particular) as this is where we’re spending most of our time during autumn and winter. Adding colour to those spaces can have an incredible impact on our mental health, and we’re here to help you choose the right shades for you and the colour combinations that will inject some positivity in your home.

 

photo of a man climbed up on a step ladder and painting a white wall with colourful paint
Our lovely friend Rich from @househomo surely knows how to inject a positive colour or two (or even ten) into everyone's lives.



Where to start? Pick colours that mimic the outdoors. They are the ideal ones to bring inside for your home, especially in the spaces you use frequently in the day, such as your living room, kitchen or bedroom. They will be the warmer tones on the colour wheel and the ones that will guarantee that you’ll feel like you’ve just stepped out into a summer’s day.

Now, think of the colours that you’re drawn to: how do they make you feel and do they remind you of summer? Do they make you feel uplifted and happy? If the answer is ‘yes’, then we’re definitely on the right track here, aren’t we?

The top colour in our mood-boosting list is, surprise - yellow! Yellow is the colour that represents the sun - the key thing we're all missing during autumn and winter.  

The solution? Paint your space yellow, of course. Look into our Fresh Yellow and Calming Yellow paint colours - they have the positive feeling that yellow evokes, but at the same time are muted and balanced enough to not overwhelm your walls (and your brain too).

 

Leafy plant photographed in front of a yellow wall
Our Fresh Yellow is definitely a mentally stimulating colour. We've added a hint of peach to it to bring more warmth and depth. Check it out for a never-ending summer on your walls.

 

Another colour to look into is blue. But not any blue though. Our Friendly Blue and Serene Blue shades are perfect as they bring a sense of calmness and remind us of the beautiful blue skies in the summer... and who doesn't love that?

Pro tip: paint your ceiling in a gentle blue colour. You'll thank us later.

 
king size bed with blue bedding and a red throw, decorated with pillows and photographed in front of a checkerboard painted wall in blue, peach and neutral colours
Adding detail to the ceiling (essentially our 5th wall) draws the eye up as it’s creating a feeling of space and grandeur. In addition, the check over the bed helps to zone the space and makes a feature of the all important part of a bedroom, the bed! Steal the look from our AW bedroom shot with our Serene Neutral, Serene Peach and Calming Blue paint colours.

 

Strictly a neutral fan? Worry not: we've got a sunny neutral colour selection for you too. Look no further than our Passionate Warm White and Calming Neutral paint colours. Mimicking the colour of the clouds, a softer warm neutral can be incredibly uplifting and peaceful, especially for your bedroom.

Pro tip: stay away from pure, stark white as it will make your space look colder and unwelcoming during the dark seasons.

 

three books and a tree branched stacked on top of each other and photographed in front of a warm neutral wall
Our Calming Neutral paint colour would definitely warm up a cooler room with less natural light and would amplify a sunnier room with its subtle hint of yellow umber. Surrounded by this uplifting neutral is exactly where you'd want to be, perfect for a warm afternoon glow.

 

And finally, last but not least in our mood-boosting list are the mighty, sun kissed orange tones. They are brilliant not only for warming up but also for brightening a space. The colour of sunsets and sunrises instantly adds a joyful warmth to any space, and has a positive impact on your mental wellbeing, especially if you're familiar with seasonal affective disorder.

 

Have a look into our Joyful Orange, Fresh Peach and Friendly Peach paint colours. We guarantee that you'll love them as much as we do.


black summer chair photographed in front of a peach painted wall surrounded by floor plants
Our Fresh Peach paint colour is amongst the favourite shades of our decorating community... and we can totally see why. 

 

Wondering what colours to avoid when struggling with SAD? We've got a list with those too.

Any type of grey or crisp, bright white colours will add even more cold tones to your space, while the ultimate goal for the darker months is, in fact, to bring warmth into your home. Same applies to cooler blue shades, so if blue is your go-to colour, make sure the paint you pick has warm undertones to it - they will absorb the natural light coming through the windows and spread it across the room like a warm hug. 

Another rule to stick by is to avoid dark, overly saturated shades, such as browns, dark blues and dark greens. While blue and green are generally uplifting colours, their dark equivalents will bring in the gloominess of the dark seasons, thus affecting your mood and contributing to lower energy levels.

We hope that you've found our colour advice helpful and you've got inspired to decorate your space and beat the winter blues for good.