We’ve made it to Element 5 in our series, and this week it’s all about colour. And honestly, what better time to dive into this topic than grey old January? If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, I think we could all use a bit more colour in our lives right now!
Those who know me well will know:
A. I studied Colour & Design Psychology with one of the world’s leading experts, Karen Haller.
B. I bloomin’ love colour—always have, always will.
C. If the idea of colour scares you, don’t run a mile just yet. Colour doesn’t have to mean neon brights or eye-watering shades. Colour can also be subtle and muted and still make a huge impact.
D. Colour makes you more money in your property projects. Trust me.
So, to celebrate all things colour, here are my top tips for using it effectively to attract your ideal buyers, tenants, or guests.
I’m so excited to get this down on paper. I’ve no plan, so let’s just see what comes out of my brain, in no particular order other than starting with my favourite fact that you NEED to know!
1. Still Using Grey? Stop.
Here’s a fact you need to know: all colours have both positive and negative psychological effects on us… except grey.
Pure grey (made from black and white only) has no positive psychological qualities whatsoever. None. Nada. Zip.
Think about it: do you want your buyers, tenants, or guests to feel detached, tired, or indecisive when they view your property? Because that’s what grey will do. If you’re aiming forn more positive feelings, such as calm, joy, or excitement, grey just isn’t it.
This is scientifically proven, so if you’re a fact-driven person, I hope you’re convinced.2. If Not Grey, Then What?
If you’re looking to use a pale colour on the walls, step away from colours such as Johnstone’s Frosted Silver, or Dulux’s Flooded Gum - I mean, the name?!! - and step towards a ‘neutral’ that has warmth to it, such as taupe (basically a grey warmed up through the addition of colours such as yellow and red)
Try these:
These shades immediately transform a room from cold and uninspiring to warm and inviting.
3. Understanding Colour Seasons
Here’s where it gets really interesting. We all have a primary and secondary colour personality, based on Angela Wright’s colour theory from the 1970s (again, this has been scientifically proven to be true).
She linked these personalities to seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—making it easier to apply them. Designing a space with your target audience’s colour personality in mind (rather than your personal preferences or trends) will elevate your design and ROI.
It’s a hugely complex subject but I’ll give you the simplest example I can, which I hope you’ll find useful.
In our cool Northern Hemisphere light, the colour season which I find useful in many settings (but certainly not all) is Autumn.
The Autumn colour season consists of colours with warmth. They can be strong or they can be muted, but they will always have warmth as they are all yellow based colours. When faced with cold, dark winters and a temperature climate, these colours will give us the feeling of warmth from the sun, even when there is none.
This colour season is your friend here in the UK and some of my favourite Autumn paint colours are;
• Muted tones: Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath, Little Greene’s Travertine, or Edward Bulmer’s Clay
• Stronger shades: Morris & Co’s Hare’s Coat, Lick Paint’s Sage Green, or Little Greene’s Tuscan Red
4. If I Could Only Use One Colour…
It would be green.
There’s a green for everyone and every occasion.
But you could say that about all colours. So why green?Well, we’re humans, we evolved in nature. It's probably for this reason that the colour green takes the least amount of effort for our eyes to adjust to and then process. This means it’s the one that is going to most quickly make us feel at ease.
And so, it’s my go to colour. The colour that I’m most likely to use in a space where I’m trying to appeal to the greatest number of people, across all demographics. Try it, and let me know what you think!
5. Double Drenching: Using Colour as Texture
Colour is clever! You can use it to create texture where there is none, by layering 2 or more related colours in the same space. The effect of these quite subtle changes in tone is super interesting on the eye.
Take this Liverpool based property which was refurbished and turned into Serviced Accommodation. The lounge and dining areas were connected by an open archway, so we used a mix of Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue (walls) and Inchyra Blue (woodwork) to create cohesion and interest. For the ceiling, we added Little Greene’s Joanna, and for the fireplace, their Chocolate Colour.
How did it go? The property now has a 4.97-star rating on Airbnb with glowing reviews like:
• “Beautifully presented & welcoming home.”
• “Such a beautiful house—it felt more like a boutique hotel.”
• “A fantastically beautiful and cosy house where we felt completely comfortable.”
Congratulations to my client who is nailing it with great design and communication with their guests.
What’s Next?
There’s so much to say about colour that I’m splitting this into two parts—because I could honestly talk about it forever! Keep an eye out next week for more tips to help you nail your colour choices.
If you’re ready to bring some colour magic to your property, I’d love to chat.
📞 Give me a call: 07957 689 065
📧 Drop me an email: louise@wildkindinteriors.co.uk