Let's talk colours.

On a previous post I brought up the tendency of people to lean towards the colours of pink and blue as a rule, depending on their baby's gender. Whether for decorating their nursery rooms, buying clothes and toys for their little ones, or even for their baby shower and gender reveal parties. People can be quite absolute around certain stereotypes, so I would like to put some focus on the wider importance of the notion of colour.

The importance of colour in human psychology and behavioural development is today undoubtable. Colours have qualities and can cause certain emotions to people. They can influence human perception, mood and behaviour and stimulate the brain and body. Hence colours can even affect your little one's health. How people are affected by different colour stimuli though, varies from person to person. Scientific studies have also found that exposure to certain colours can improve sleep habits, increase memory power, and even enhance academic performance -excellent benefits for growing minds and bodies.

Back in 2014 I performed an installation that generated different type of colour reflections and initiated the movement of the created forms as part of an experiment in understanding human emotions and people's reaction under the influence of different colour intensities. Incorporating the notion of movement and sound as part of the experiment, I could track the emotional reactions of people. The whole experiment was recorded and a questionnaire was submitted from each participant with their thoughts and feelings on each installation. Light and colour together can influence even more how people perceive the space and objects around them, and different light sources affect how the colours of our surroundings and other objects are seen.

Historically, Carl Jung was the first to introduce colour psychology to the modern world. He was interested more in the meanings of the colours' properties and how these could be used as a tool as part of psychotherapy. Through his extensive studies around the colour usage and its effect in cultures and in people's lives, he attempted to unlock and develop a colour crypto-language. Colour psychology is a huge chapter and obviously I won't be analysing each part of it here, but let's have a look on some colours and their potential benefits in case they would be your chosen ones for your future little one's nursery room. I have also added some of my personal favourites from Pantone :)

WARM

stimulate the mind & energise the body

they make large spaces feel welcoming and cosy

use along with cool colours to create a sense of balance

RED

--passion, excitement, emotional, bold

if use in moderation can energise the body and increase athletic ability

avoid all-red, may invoke a volatile personality

may be associated with aggression, inability to focus and headaches

PINK

--romantic, loving

calming & relaxing, evokes empathy

all-pink can lead to agitation & anxiety

YELLOW

--lively, energetic, cheerful

creates a sunny and bright environment, associated with happiness & motivation

soft, subtle yellows stimulate concentration/ brighter stimulate memory & increases metabolism

use with caution, too much or too bright can agitate a baby

ORANGE

--warm, friendly, comforting, cozy

promotes a welcoming feeling, inspires interpersonal conversation

use dark or bright oranges with caution

very bold shades can be over-stimulating

COOL

have a calming effect on the body & mind

they make rooms feel spacious and relaxing

use dark shades in moderation

BLUE

--healing, subtle

cooling, calming, increases productivity

lowers blood pressure, decreases anxiety & aggression

use warm or bright blues, avoid dark shades

PURPLE

--dignified, mysterious, luxurious

associated with wisdom & spirituality

combines the stability of blue with the energy of red

pastel purples, lavenders, lilacs are calming & serene with a feel of royalty

try mixing lavender and lilac with mint and light grey

GREEN

--calming, refreshing, nurturing

personal favourite and gender neutral

associated with nature, healing, symbolises health & well-being

best colour for a learning environment, very serene

has a soothing effect on the body, increases reading ability

promotes calmness of thinking and concentration

WHITE

--clean, angelic, pure, innocent

promotes a calm, breezy atmosphere

associated with secretiveness, so avoid all-white to evoke emotion

GREY

--introspective, intuitive, emotional

inspires contemplation, promotes thought and emotion, has a calming effect

use warmer tones and mix with brighter colours

BLACK

--authoritative, dark, powerful

use in moderation in rooms with plenty of natural light

BROWN

--earthy, warm, grounded

a great choice if used in either dark tones or light beiges

avoid middle shades

Pictures from our personal selection of images on Pinterest