INTERIOR INSPIRATION
BY KATE KINGSTON
Kate Kingston, Managing Director of Kingston Shaw, an award winning
interior design company with offices on the Wirral, London and Dubai,
shares with us the latest trends for creating the perfect home.
SPRING COLOUR THERAPY
A look at how colour in the home can influence your mood.
Colour Therapy is not new and far from becoming a science - it is an
art and should be regarded as a powerful tool. The colour you surround
yourself with does and will affect your mood. You would probably never
paint your bedroom black unless of course you are an angst ridden
teenager or choose red for a relaxing bathroom. Pablo Picasso once
remarked "Colours, like features, follow the changes of the emotions."
We know that colour is a powerful communication tool and can be
used to signal action, influence mood, and even influence physiological
reactions. You only have to look at the aisles of your supermarket or in
the pages of this magazine to see how colour is used to seduce you in to
buying products and how to feel about a situation or place. Furthermore
certain colours have been associated with increased blood pressure,
increased metabolism, and even eyestrain. Often colour is perceived
as a cultural ideal, for example, in the west the colour white is seen as
innocent and pure whereas in the east it is the symbol of mourning.
GREEN
Did you know that in the 15th Century wedding dresses were
habitually green as it was thought that it was the colour of fertility?
Green promotes health and reduces stress so it is a great colour for a
bedroom but also a kitchen! Green would not be my first choice in a
bedroom as it can also incite jealousy!
Prestige Kettle, Amazon
Palm Wallpaper,
Fine Décor
Let’s have a look at some colours and where you should and maybe not
use them in your home! BLUE
BLACK It is no surprise that the colour blue is most often described by men
as their favourite colour as it is the most masculine hue of the colour
spectrum. Evoking a mood of strength, stability and calmness.
Black can have a grounding effect in your home and is most effective
when used in small doses. Painting a wall black in a child’s room can
promote creativity and calmness. Using black accessories around the
home can also enchant and encourage prosperity according to the laws
of Feng Shui!
Perfect for a bedroom except for hues of turquoise (too energetic). A
duck egg blue painted wall will lower your pulse rate and lower your
body temperature, for that perfect night sleep!
Maybe think of using it in a sitting room too as it can make you feel
relaxed and denotes the traditional, but be wary of using it in a dining
room unless you want to lose weight, research has shown that people
who eat off blue plates will eat less!
Wallpaper from Fromental
Vase from Made.com
Hippo from Lalique
RED
The colour red promotes feelings of emotion, can be passionate and
energetic. In the wrong place it can also warn of danger and increase
your blood pressure. If you are using red in a bedroom to energise the
space ensure you use it in tones of rich burgundies and wine colours,
don’t be tempted to break out the pillar box red in a bedroom it will
raise your blood pressure in quite the wrong way! In the East, red is
used where you eat to promote feelings of abundance and richness. So what's the bottom line? Experts have found that while colour can
have an influence on how we feel and act, these effects are subject to
personal, cultural, and situational factors.
To get in touch with Kingston Shaw, call 0844 736 0141.
Farrow & Ball Eating Room Red
62 wirrallife.com
Ralph Lauren Wallpaper
Mulberry
More scientific research is needed to gain a better understanding of
colour psychology but we know in interior design and through our
practice that colour is the most important decision you will make in
creating an ambiance in your room, home and life.