There are many ways to be eco-friendly without having to have a complete overhaul to your home and life.
Being more eco-friendly also has the added bonus of saving you money…

Focus on energy saving improvements and energy efficient appliances which you can build into your eco friendly life.

-Quick Guide: How to be Energy Efficient –

Insulation in the Home

One of the most important ways to be more energy efficient is to make sure you have adequate insulation. Nearly half all energy lost in the home is through poor insulation of the loft and walls.

As well as checking that your loft and walls are properly insulated, it is also worth checking your floor’s insulation and filling in gaps and draughts- Although remember to always keep some form of ventilation in your house, especially in rooms with fires, heaters, boilers and especially the kitchen and bathrooms.

Also, opt for double-glazed windows – they are a fantastic solution to eco-friendly living and can help you save up to half your heat and energy loss.

Re-decorating your Home

Firstly, try not to buy too many new products unless they are necessary. You can always try a neighbour’s garage or thrift shops to find what you are looking for. If you have to buy new products then make sure you choose natural products as far as possible.

Natural materials include wool, silk, sissal and sea-grass.

Also, always try and choose sustainable products. Avoid imported timber and any wood from non-sustainable sources. Also, choose local and natural products or products made from recycled materials and substances.

Day-to-day

• Energy saving lightbulbs.
• Install a low flow shower head.
• Recycle, reuse and compost – reduce the amount of stuff you send to the landfill.
• Find out about recycling programmes in the community.
• Properly dispose of hazardous waste – Cleaners, oils, paints, pesticides, batteries and solvents should never go out with the household garbage as they end up contaminating the soil and groundwater in your community.

The first consideration you might make is the overall formality or intended casualness of the room. A formal living or dining room with elegant furniture requires equally well-dressed windows. Classic drapes in silk damask or velvet with swags or tie-backs over sheer netting is appropriate for this level of formality, whereas a simple, natural, slouchy Tab-top would better suit more laid-back surroundings.

Detail, Coordination & Contrast

Silk fringe or rosettes, and other fancy trimmings are often used in living and dining rooms, but if you prefer a clean, simple line, then by all means use what you like. If you’re a minimalist, you won’t be happy living with fussy details.

For a more casual, but still sophisticated room, panels or drapes of natural silk in colors which coordinate with the floor coverings and upholstery make a nice statement. Wool blends and linen are also chic in this setting, and should meld with your chosen furnishings. For example,  a softly draped wool panel is superb with an overstuffed couch, and dark polished wood tables.

Materials

You’ll need to decide what fabrics and materials best suit the environment, tone and function of your room. For example, if you’re furnishing a bathroom window, it is wise to select a material that is fairly water resistant, like cotton, wool or hemp. If you’re decorating for a bedroom, consider a blackout lining and a heavier fabric to block out the light. Drafty hallway? Interline your draperies with thermal lining to lock in the heat and save on your energy bills. Think carefully about light too. Silk curtains, for example, fade easilly when exposed to harsh sunlight, so if you are going for the luxury look in a naturally illuminated area, be sure to line the material carefully.

Exhibition or Privacy?

A fourth factor to consider is the windows themselves. Think about how you plan to use the windows. Is there a beautiful view, and lots of natural light that you would like to make use of? Or do you live in a city with a view of an alley, and a need for privacy? Voiles and semi sheer fabrics are the chicest way to get the ‘net curtain effect’ with an element of style, allowing you to see out, but preventing others from seeing in.

Tastes, Preference & Fashion

A fifth factor is your own personal likes and dislikes. If you like an eclectic, or even eccentric, look, use the colors and fabrics that you like the best. If you choose colors in the same value, that is all pastels or all brights, and patterns in the same size range, you can mix and match fairly easily. Busy room? Go easy on the paterns and stick with block colour.

The first step is to select the correct plants for your climate region and your specific home.

Plants are fascinating life forms. They utilize photosynthesis to create organic compounds from carbon dioxide, unlike animals that need to consume other living organisms to produce energy in order to survive. However, plants use light as their energy, to transport water up through their stems and extract minerals from the soil using their roots.

Different plants need different levels of light. Choose low light plants for areas that are far away from the window, or suffer from a particularly dark seasonal climate. You can use shadows to measure the strength of light in a particular area. For example, if the shadow of the plant is hard to detect, then the light in that area is low. If the shadow is detectable but not sharp, then light is medium strength. If the shadow is sharp, then light is bright and plentiful.

Think about using sheer curtains to increase the amount of light entering the room. However, you should be careful about placing plants between a curtain and a window during cold weather spells, especially if the plant species is not very tolerant of low temperatures.

Plants tend to bend towards the direction of light, ao make sure you turn the plants regularly to keep them growing in an attractive shape. Note that some plants do not tolerate excessive sunlight, so it pays to do your research before ordering.

Plants that come from rainforest environments are often the easiest to grow indoors because they are adapted to living under a canopy with limited sunlight. Such plants include the Ficus, Cheese Plants, Rubber Tree Plants, Dracaeana and Begonias. However, these plants are also adapted to plenty of moisture as they come from the Rain Forest, so they will need frequent watering.

As  many houseplants are tropical species, they tend to like humidity. They also prefer warm environments. However, generally humidity is more important than temperature, so you will need to take this into consideration when thinking about the right environment for your plants.

If your houseplants are losing leaves or yellowing, then lack of humidity may be the cause. Heated rooms tend to be dry, although steam and water heaters are less drying than air heaters. The correct humidity for most houseplants ranges between 50 to 70 per cent. To raise the humidity in a room, increase the number of plants you have (each plant generates humidity of its own). Placing jars of water in the room will also work, or you can set plants in a tray full of wet gravel. Misting plants regularly is also beneficial (unless they have fuzzy leaves). You should mist at least once a day, and for many plants several times a day is better. And, if you’ve got the cash to flash, purchasing a humidifier that pumps water vapour into the air may be the answer.

Never allow temperatures to dip below 50 degrees F, as most houseplants are not adapted to cold weather. Also remember that windows tend to be colder than other areas of the room because of poorer insulation. You might want to consider double glazed windows for their extra insulation.

Soil is another important element in keeping houseplants healthy. Make sure you use fresh soil and only use fertilizers that are specifically made for houseplants. Use fertilizers only during the spring and summer, a bit in the autumn, but not in the winter. You can also groom plants by trimming off withering parts, or faded flowers to keep them in good-looking shape, and encourage re-growth.

Keeping your houseplants fresh is fairly simple once you have taken time to learn about specific types, and have started a regular routine. The benefits however, both aesthetic and health-related, are well worth the effort!

Black is best used to add drama and contrast to a room, and is frequently the colour of mystery, sleekness, and elegance. While many shy away from using large amounts of the colour on walls and panels, it can be a great way to add a luxurious, modern touch to a room, providing it is well illuminated and in a large, open space; it is not advised for small, dark places as it will enhance that hemmed-in feeling.

Black also makes a great accent colour. Accent colours can be picked up in throw pillows, curtains, rugs, and other decorative accessories. Black shutters, accent trim, and front doors can also makes an excellent accent to your exterior paint colour, diffusing borders and highlighting show-off areas.

Black is frequently used in conjunction with white to make the ultimate monochrome contrast. The vibrant pop of primary colours used in contemporary styles aids a room by creating the impression of depth when used alongside black, just like the vivid hues of a sunset against a black landscape. Rugged black iron work can add a whimsical touch to an eclectic interior. Black also works great against any paint colour from soft pastels to jewel tones.

Each room of the house can benefit from a black decorative piece. Black curtains in a bedroom can add a sexy richness to the room. Black curtains also have the added benefit of letting less light in for the late sleepers. Really, black curtains can be used to great effect in any room. The bathroom can be updated with black towels and toiletries. Black appliances give a kitchen a clean, modern look. Lamps with black bases or black shades make excellent accent pieces in any room of the house. A black blown-glass bowl set on a side table can be a great conversation piece.

Searching for the perfect black focal piece can be an adventure in itself.  The Internet provides a great variety of choices, and you can also shop for the best price. Other great places to look are interior decoration stores, home improvement stores and department stores. If you are looking for a deal, try flea markets and garage sales. Hunting for a find at these venues can be like treasure hunting; a productive and exciting way to spend a Saturday morning.

Try decorating with black. Don’t be scared of it. Adding small black accents to update your style, or think ‘big and bold’ to really create a statement. After all, it does go with everything.

Forget hiring a closet organizing consultant, or pay to have an elaborate shelving system installed. Comparison shopping for some basic storage items will ensure the best value, and there are ways to hide your storage that are both reasonable, and pleasing to the eye. Some companies offer cubby units with coordinating bins, often in wicker, canvas, or plastic. The bins can be removed, or left in the unit to store books, shoes, toys, or any item that would usually end up shoved into a closet, or lying on the floor.

Short or tall cabinets can be found at a reasonable cost, containing several shelves concealed by double doors. Discount stores often sell attractive units for the price, with faux wood fronts in finishes not previously found, like espresso and birch. More utilitarian cabinets may cost even less, since they are often designed for garages. They can be used in less visible places, like basements, or can be hidden behind a floor-to-ceiling curtain suspended from a rod.

Curtains can also be hung from existing structures in the home, like alcove walls, to hide unsightly storage solutions. Another idea is to attach curtains to the undersides of tables to create instant storage space.

Some manufacturers have started making modern, reasonable storage solutions that fit into a home’s decor because they look like furniture. One such item is a scaled-down version of an armoire, with hooks for hanging jackets, purses, and keys, and an area for small items like shoes below. Why not double the useage, and use mirrored doors for a bedroom closest?

Room dividers are another way to hide clutter. A corner in a low-traffic area makes a convenient spot for cheap, open shelving, or stacks of boxes. An attractively designed decorative screen, which you can customize by covering it in your choice of fabric, will render the storage invisible.

The tried-and-true area underneath the bed is always a good bet. Some companies have acknowledged this otherwise useless space’s potential by creating attractive storage boxes, made of wicker or cloth. However, if the bedspread touches the floor, inexpensive plastic containers designed to fit under beds will do. Even shoe boxes or other small containers will work, as long as they can’t be seen.

Pocketed pouches that hang from the backs of doors make stashing small items simple. Those lacking dresser or desk space will find them handy for holding those oddball items that can wreak havoc on the best of organizational intentions. Even shower curtains can be purchased with pockets for sponges, soap, razors, and other bathroom accessories.

Finally, hat and coat racks are old standbys for a reason. They confine jackets, caps, and sometimes umbrellas to a small area, and prevent household members from tossing their things on furniture when they take them off. Wet items also have a chance to dry without dirtying the rest of the dwelling.

These storage ideas can be implemented for little money, and may spur you to come up with your own storage ideas. If you’re good with a hammer and saw, a talented seamstress, or even just quite resourceful, you’re really in luck. The possibilities are endless.

Think back to science class, and you might remember that all plant life survives and grows by taking carbon dioxide from the air around itself, incorporating the carbon into organic substances for itself and returning pure oxygen back into the atmosphere. We humans as well as other animals breathe in oxygen from the atmosphere and utilize it in our respiratory cycles to burn food for energy and create organic molecules of our own. In turn, we exhale carbon dioxide. Plants utilize it for their own purposes, and thus the cycle continues. Oxygen is a key component in a healthy lifestyle, if an obvious one. If we don’t get enough, breathing becomes more difficult, slowing down our bodily functions and inducing feelings of fatigue.

Harmful pollutants such as micro particles, airborne chemicals and allergens may be present in the air we breath; some have the potential to cause ill health. Many homes, regardless of when they were built, contain traces – sometimes dangerous levels – of benzene, ammonia, carbon monoxide, trichloroethane, xylene and other industrial chemicals. Research has suggested that having a variety of plants in your house can reduce respiratory diseases, tiredness, and illness by stripping the air of dust and other contaminants.

Flora at home can create a harmonious sense of well being and create a more natural, peaceful, and nurturing environment that is more conducive to productivity and serenity. Studies have shown that simplybeing around other living things can liven your mood considerably. Much like pets, plants make us feel connected to nature and the natural world we are intended to be a part of. Living in a completely sterile and mechanized environment can have an alienating effect on a person.

So, which plants should you incorporate into your surroundings? Of course, it is a matter of choosing in accordance with your own personal tastes, in addition to where you live and your own unique micro climate. For instance, if you want more of a house tree, a Ficus Benjamina might be something you’d be interested in. It survives well in a diverse array of environments. Similarly, Peace Lilies are both attractive to the eye, and are great at purifying air. Spider Plants, Boston Ferns, and Palm Trees are also common and popular choices to spruce up your home. Whatever your choice might be, make sure to take care of them on a regular basis, and check that their species is compatible with the climate of the room you intend them to live in.

Making houseplants a welcome addition to your family can improve your life on a variety of levels. They can increase the quality of your health, sleep, and general mood. Aside from the pleasant aesthetic of vibrant colours and the organic feel of living things to offset the unnatural indoor environment, they are great for your peace of mind and your body as well. Why not take a trip to the local greenhouse or find seeds online today and plant your own? Happiness is just a shoot away.

Flooring

If hygiene is a priority for your child’s bedroom, then flooring should be your first port of call. Most homes come furnished with carpeting. However, it is the least favourable floor covering, and is excellent at trapping and hiding allergens. Dirt, dust mites and germs can live in the pile and padding for a very long time, so the best thing to do is get rid of your carpet altogether.

Other healthier and more affordable options are available. Choose a nonporous flooring material such as tile, wood or bamboo. Bamboo is also a highly sustainable material, making it environmentally friendly and an added eco bonus for the ethically minded. Pay attention to the installation process with all types of flooring. For example, wood flooring can be installed using various methods, including toxic glues. Instead, choose a product that floats on the subfloor and snaps tightly together with no additional adhesive to irritate sensitive lungs.

Cork is another material that is ideal for children’s rooms. It is not only hypoallergenic, but also soft and easy to walk on. Surprisingly, despite the spongy nature of the material, it doesn’t harbour dirt, dust mites or allergens. It is one of the most hygienic options for decorating your children’s bedrooms.

While using hard flooring material is better for keeping things clean, they can be boring to look at. One of the best ways to freshen the space is to add a throw rug. Choose the material carefully. You want the rug to be able to take the abuse that the kids will surely give it, but also be able to be laundered easily so that little nasty things aren’t trapped inside. The best choices are natural cotton or linen. They are both durable and easy to clean. Cotton rugs can be thrown into a washing machine, whereas linen is hypoallergenic and naturally resistant to germs, hence why linen sheets are used so frequently in hospitals, and linen is one of the only natural materials used in the human body during operations.

Furnishings and Bedding

Once you have taken care of the flooring, it’s time to think about furnishings. Again, natural materials shine in this area. It is possible to buy dressers, beds and other furniture that is either unfinished or naturally finished with things like mineral oil. This type of furniture can be harder to clean than a varnished product, however, so keep plenty of Magic Erasers on hand if your child is a budding interior designer himself. You also may want to look into metal. Metal is an easier to clean choice and doesn’t hold dirt. However, be sure that all edges are rounded and that there is no possibility of the piece coming apart and exposing the child to sharp corners.

The bedding in your child’s room is probably the biggest culprit when it comes to matters of hygiene. Your child is in contact with the bedding every day. Dirt, dust mites and allergens thrive and multiply in the warm, moist environment. Choose only natural, hypoallergenic bedding materials, such as silk, bamboo, cotton or linen. Linen, bamboo and silk naturally kill most common allergens and can be mixed with other fibres, such as cotton, to make a more comfortable and durable bedding material. Cotton is ideal because it is easy to launder and is naturally free from allergens when processed properly. It is also available in dozens of styles, colours and patterns, making it the ideal choice for children’s bedding. These fabrics are also perfect for other applications in your child’s room, such as curtains and pillows.

Whichever material you choose for your child’s bedding, it is important to launder it regularly. Aim for once a week as a minimum. If your child has more severe allergies, you may even consider laundering or airing it out several times a week.

Toys and Accessories

Making sure your child’s toys are safe is extremely important. Toy manufacturers often neglect to make their products hypoallergenic and germ-resistant. Luckily, after care products are readilly available to help you manage the muck. Soft toys like teddy bears can be laundered with solutions to make them less likely to hold allergens. Hard objects can be regularly soaked or wiped down with an antibacterial wipe. While more and more companies are tapping into this niche cleaning market, wood toys are making a comeback. Also, keep an eye out for items that are made with natural materials or pre-treated to repel allergens. Certainly worth a google-search!

1. Think simple, big, open and neutral. Go for timeless, long-lasting looks that are easilly adjustable. A natural carpet, wooden floor or cream interior allows for multiple changes in soft furnishings and colour-schemes, without the hassle of a complete refurbishment each time you fancy an little something different. Insure you prioritise good lighting. Poor illumination will dampen your colour scheme and shrink your space.
2. Save the evnvironment, save your pennies, and steer away from fads and trends, particularly if you’re a sucker for disposable buying! They won’t last long, and be off-trend in a season. So if you are cutting back, cut it out.
3. Choose slices of your complete vision. Don’t rush to complete the masterpiece straight away and bull-doze into your overdraft without the cash to cater for it. Save up for a great pair of curtains, a set of vases that may otherwise sit just outside your price range, or a stylish sofa that feels as good as it looks, and will last you a life time. Remember, some things are worth waiting for!
4. Prioritise. It’s all well and good splashing out on a vintage candelabra to set off a spectacular mantle piece, but if there’s nowhere to park your derriere, then the function of your living room is lost. Buy the skeleton items first, deck out the innards afterwards. Prioritise on your spending too. It is worth, for example, paying more for a comfortable, great-looking sofa that will last a life time and holding back on ornaments until finances allow. Writing a list separating your room needs and wants is always a good exercise. Number them from most to least, and plan your budget accordingly.
5. History, as they say, has a habit of repeating itself; an endless cycle of by-gone styles circulating year on year, just waiting for the chance to be thrown back onto our walls and wardrobes for the on-coming season. The lesson here? Think vintage. If you’re lucky enough to have a relative or friend with an attic full of junk, get raiding! If not, try flea-markets, thrift stores, and auctions for stand-out pieces to add a timeless sense of character to your dwelling. And if the thought of leaving your lovely home brings you up in a rash, why not shop from the sofa, and browse the internet for vintage online.
6. Stuck for ideas? Let the décor choose you. Shop for a style, pick an individual item to set off a room, be inspired by a particularly poignant piece of artwork, and let the item work the room. Choose a colour scheme that fits with the item, and carry the theme through the area to be decorated. In this instance, you may wish to spend more on said item of inspiration, and boost it one or two places up the priority list. This needs to be in balance with the rest of the room however, so be wise with the amount you do spend. Be sure to make this treasure the focus of the room and well displayed too!
7. Be unique. Don’t make the mistake of buying all your items from one place. Shop around for an individual style to prevent your space looking like a knocked-off show room.
8. Remember, you can do a lot with a little. Think throws, wall-hangings, rugs, and fairy lights for an instant transformation on a very small budget. Why not paint a panel of the wall to add a splash of colour, instead of saturating the walls with a single shade? An old minimalist Japanese trick to remember is ‘bring the outside in’. Plants, pebbles and natural fabrics can do wonders for your living space, and are well worth forking out for.
9. Think DIY, and where you can, customise. Doll up a dull piece of furniture with a fresh coat of paint and a handful of stencils. Transform spare fabrics into throws or cushion covers. If your sewing machine savvy, why not try making your own curtains? Check back at this blog for a great guide on how to create your very own pair. Happy saving!

It’s no secret that the colour of a room has an incredible affect on the way we perceive our interior surroundings. Equip with paint and brush alone, we have the power to manipulate the size of a space, artificially create the appearance of sunlight, conceal flaws and accentuate stand-out features. But have you ever thought of the psychological impact the hue of your home has on your overall well-being?

From lurid yellow, to not-so-grisly grey, here is Part 2 continued from ‘Shades To Suit Your Mood’

Yellow

The colour of natural warmth, cheeriness and optimism, yellow can create the natural impression of sunshine, even where it doesn’t exist. Fantastic for use in an office, study, or, indeed, in the kitchen, research indicates that yellow can increase the metabolism and enhance concentration. However, it is one of the more difficult colours for the eye to take in, and can be overpowering if overused. Subtle furnishings and decor in this shade is advised. A bunch of sunflowers, a yellow-hued painting, or a single wall can really work to your biological advantage. Think saffrons, golds, ocres and creams if the thought of lurid lemon scares you. However, beware. According to science, people lose their tempers more easily in yellow rooms, and babies have been shown to cry more. Avoid in the bedroom.

Orange

Much like yellow, orange can cheer up the darkest room, and provide a welcoming sense of warmth and vivacity in a dull interior. Symbolic of wealth and joy, splashes of apricot and rich terracotta goes fantastically in the kitchen and dining areas. Chance in any north-facing room to cosey-up the walls with a Mediterranean twist.

Green

Symbolically the colour of nature, green is calming and refreshing, and great when used as a relaxant in bright, large spaces. People waiting to go on TV often wind down in the ‘Green Room’ before making their on-screen entrance, while hospitals frequently use the colour to calm patients down. Green is the easiest on the eye, and opticians even suggest that green environments can improve overall vision. Jades, limes, willows and forest, greens are ideal for lounge rooms and living areas.

Purple

Purple denotes luxury, wealth and sophistication. As it is rare in nature, purple can often appear artificial to the eye, so when choosing for the home, it is best to select subtle hues of heather or deep, iris shades. Avoid deep violets and purples in the kitchen, office and living areas, as studies have shown the colour to induce feelings of fatigue. Use deep rich flashes to accent and luxuriate a cream backdrop. Why not a try a panel in the hallway, or a sumptuous throw over a natural cotton bed spread?

Brown

Solid, reliable and abundant in nature, brown can be used anywhere and with any colour. Light shades can imply genuineness and honesty, and thus oats, flaxes and foals are very good for furnishing an office environment, or calming down the busy colours of a jam-packed room.

Grey

Grey, like brown, has the power to harmonise with all colours, and is a great background to use in a richly saturated environment. It has a calming, neutralising effect on the mind and is a designer’s favourite for use in bedrooms and living areas. Best used in combinations however, as grey alone can appear cold and dull the atmosphere. Warm up subtle silvers with with deep greens, ocre yellows, and rich purples.

It’s no secret that the colour of a room has an incredible affect on the way we perceive our interior surroundings. Equip with paint and brush alone, we have the power to manipulate the size of a space, artificially create the appearance of sunlight, conceal flaws and accentuate stand-out features. But have you ever thought of the psychological impact the hue of your home has on your overall mood?

Psychologists for almost a century have suggested that deep emotional association, cultural symbolism and visual perceptions of shades can alter your temperament if you are exposed to them for certain lengths of time. Most famously, seminal abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky examined the power of pure colour in non-representational painting in his famous essay ‘Concerning The Spiritual In Art’ (1910). In it, he suggests that, without the aid of impression, colour alone can invoke a picture and stir ones emotions.

Later studies have also revealed interesting physical changes in the human body when in contact with certain shades. For example, heart rate and circulation is said to soar at the sight of red, while deep violets can produce feelings of fatigue.Of course, personality also plays an important part in colour preference; there is, after all, no accounting for taste. If bright green and acid purple works for you, so be it. But whatever your favourite might be, listed below is a tried and tested guide for picking colours not only to optimise the function of your room, but also enhance your general feeling of well-being. After all, home is where the heart is.

Black

The colour of authority, power, sexuality and wealth, black has the unique ability to make shades in any colour more expressive and diffuse borders. A black mirror in the bathroom could pick out the blues in the walls, and emulate a classic sense of luxury while a great looking panel in the hallway of your office subtly suggests ‘We mean business.’ to potential clients. It is possible to decorate liberally using black. However, keep in mind that black absorbs light, and therefore should only be used if suitably illuminated.

White

White implies a level of innocence, purity, and health, reflecting light to create the illusion of open space. By itself, it maintains a cheery level of comfort regardless of season. White is utterly indispensible when used in poorly lit areas, that can otherwise feel enclosing, inducing feelings of discomfort and depression. Doctors and nurses traditionally use white to convey sterility, so it’s great in places where implied (and, dare we say, applied) hygiene is necessary. For example, white sets an exemplarily standard in the bathroom, particularly where there’s a lack of light. In the kitchen, too, white is advised, though go for a shade with a touch of warmth to it to avoid the food preparation area looking too medical.

Blue

Colour of the sky and the ocean, blue is a peaceful and tranquil colour. Studies have shown that blue actually causes the body to produce calming chemicals, naturally relaxing body and mind without the need for aroma-oils, expensive treatments or sedatives. As a result, it’s a great choice for the bedroom. However, take care over the shade you select. Go for deep or dark blues as some blue-greys and light blues can induce feelings of sorrow and make a room feel cold. If you’re lucky enough to own a gym, paint it blue; studies have shown that weightlifters lift more if bathed in oceanic surroundings. Blue also represents loyalty, and as such is a great colour for business, be it a subtle panel in a conference room or a suit for an interview.

Red

Red is the most emotionally intense of all; the colour of passion, love, rage and anger, so select your space carefully when decorating with shades of scarlet. Psychologists have revealed that red naturally stimulates a faster heartbeat and increases breathing. Great in a play room, drawing room, dining room or hall, or anywhere energy can be freely expelled. Because of this, it is better used to accent in decorating, rather than applied large amounts. Red gets noticed, so insure that the space, piece of furniture or upholstery is something you want to highlight, not conceal. It is possible to use in wind-down areas if this is your favourite, but be sure to pick natural shades, deep, dark reds or pinks, as they can limit the physical effects.

Pink

Naturally tranquilising – though not as much as blues – a tasteful pink is perfectly ok in a bedroom or living room environment, providing the shade is not too vivid. A shade known as “drunk-tank-pink” is often used in prison rooms to calm inmates down, while famous football teams have been known to paint the locker rooms of their opposition a deep pink to zap their energy before match. Because of this side effect, steer clear of using the colour in sports or business environments.

Part Two: Yellow – Grey to be continued. Watch this blog!