What Color Is Your Mood

by WiredBerries Editors — February 8, 2008

Want to use this weekend to touch up your apartment? Considering a coat of paint to spruce up your bedroom? The color you choose can affect your mood when you're in that room. A quick rundown of the psychology of colors:

• Red - Increases blood pressure and heart rate. It often produces feelings of intimacy, energy, passion, and sexuality. It also stimulates the appetite and is an excellent choice for dining rooms.
• Orange - Warm but less dramatic than red, orange is more friendly than fiery; more welcoming than seductive. This color works well in living rooms.
• Yellow - A strong attention-getter, yellow is great for poorly lit areas like foyers and hallways. Yellow is also considered a mood lifter but can cause anxiety and overwhelm, so be careful.
• Green - The dominant color in nature, green works well everywhere. With its calming effect, light greens work well in baths and living rooms; mid-range greens are a great accent for kitchens and dining rooms.
• Blue - Blue is soothing but also suppresses appetite, so it's a perfect color for the bedroom but best kept out of the eating area.