Beat January Blues: 6 interior colours to avoid to boost your mood

Each year Pantone announces the colour of the year and for 2023 it’s Viva Magenta, described as a “crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool”. 

And the phrase ‘new year, new me’ is all the more poignant for those looking to redecorate their homes, in an effort to boost their mood. So which interior colours should you avoid? 

Property and interior specialists at Stelrad (https://www.stelrad.com/) have amalgamated a list of paint colours you should avoid to help beat the January Blues and lift our spirits ahead of Blue Monday (16th January).  

Chris Harvey from Stelrad explains why colours can affect our mood in the cooler months:

“As soon as we walk into a room, the colour can affect our mood without us even noticing. Certain shades can trigger feelings of warmth and comfort, something which we all need as we battle our way through January and get back into a routine after the Christmas period. The way colours affect our emotions largely depends on the colour’s brightness, shade, tint or tone (e.g. whether it’s a warm or cool colour). So if you are repainting your home this January, opt for colours that can help brighten your room and create a sense of warmth. 

Avoid colours like grey or even cooler colours like pale lilac or blue. With the darker days, you’ll want to lighten up your home with warm colours such as red, orange or yellow, but be warned… too much of these colours can signal danger and might create the opposite of your desired effect. You could look at using neutral tones, like brown, tan or taupe to create the ultimate cosy and comforting room colour. You could also add a few mustard-yellow or muted olive colours into the mix as well. Earthy tones are a great way to enhance a space and make it a more inviting atmosphere.”

Six colours to be cautious of  this winter:

1. Black – this should come as no surprise, as the colour brings about feelings of sadness and might make you feel unmotivated when it’s still dark outside. If you would like to add black to a room, then why not focus on a door frame, shelves or window frame? Use it sparingly to help make features in your room pop rather than swallowing up the space in a black hole.
2. Blue – this is a tricky colour as it can be calming and soothing, but can also stress you out if you go for an overly cool or dark blue. It might make the room feel chilly if you get the wrong shade, especially if your room lacks natural light. Make sure to use warm hues in your accents to help balance out this chilly effect. 
3. Grey – whilst a trendy colour for people’s homes, now is the time to ditch the grey and bring a different colour into your home that is likely to inspire you. Grey might be known for being “classy” but it lacks the vibrancy that you might be missing out on during the “saddest” month of the year.
4. Green – you need to be careful with green, as the wrong shade can make you feel lazy or depressed. If you want to bring green into a room, then focus on those earthy and natural-looking colours, but just make sure not to use too little green as this can cause feelings of rejection. 
5. Purple – this calming and comforting colour might surprise people, as it is a popular hue used in people’s bedrooms as well as bathrooms as it makes you want to relax; potentially an unpopular choice to motivate you. It lacks the warmth needed when it’s still dark outside and might make your home feel cold if your home lacks appropriate furnishings and complementary colours, such as orange or yellow for a contrasting look.
6. Brown – whilst brown or even beige can be a good neutral colour, too much of it can create a sense of emptiness in the home. You need to add different colours to help balance out the room correctly. Opt instead for white walls and brown furniture instead, with a nice mirror on the wall to help reflect the light.

Credit: https://www.stelrad.com/ who commissioned the research.