3 Ways to Make Your Seasonal Decor Pop (and Boost Your Mood!)
If you really want to up the ante on your home’s holiday decorations, you should first decide how you’d like your decor to make you feel. Cozy? Energized? Relaxed? And if you’re hoping for a little bit of all three, you can prioritize items that incorporate the “happiest” colors.
What makes a “happy” color? It could just be your favorite color, but I wanted to find out if there are specific colors that scientific studies have shown make people feel especially good. I asked Stefanie Bales, owner and founder of Stefanie Bales Fine Art and former professor of design and color theory, what hues people should gravitate toward for good vibes.
Below, she shares three colors (including some that might surprise you!) to focus on this holiday season if you want to put yourself in a positive mood whenever you catch a glimpse of your decor.
How Do Colors Affect Your Mood?
The idea that certain colors can have an impact on your emotional state isn’t new. “Color psychology, the study of how color influences human behavior and emotions, has roots in prehistoric times,” Bales explains. “Early humans’ interactions with their natural surroundings created deep associations between color and survival,” she says.
Experts at online therapy website Regain point to Egyptians’ acknowledgement of color in nature, like revering the golden sun and what they thought to be its healing rays.
Bales, who has a background in art therapy, says that generations of people repeatedly engaging with colors in nature created a strong foundation for how a color can make you feel. “Over time, these connections shaped how modern societies respond to color, laying the groundwork for today’s color associations and explaining the profound psychological impact colors have on us,” she says.
According to a 2015 article on Frontiers, a peer-reviewed research publisher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 1810 book, Theory of Colors, was one of the earliest written accounts of color psychology. Andrew Elliot, a psychology professor at the University of Rochester, stated in the article that Goethe “linked color categories (e.g., the ‘plus’ colors of yellow, red–yellow, yellow–red) to emotional responding (e.g., warmth, excitement).”
Mental health nonprofit organization Mental Health America states that color psychology is somewhat effective, but there is a lot more research needed on the topic. In essence, though, if you believe a color can change your mood, there’s a good chance it will, per the organization.
The Happiest Colors for Holiday Decorations
While more empirical evidence is needed to fully back color psychology, experts in the field still offer up ideas about which colors are likely to make you experience different emotions. According to Bales, here are the three colors you should decorate with this holiday season if you want to boost your mood.
Blue
“Due to its prevalence in nature — the sky, ocean, and water — blue is an aspirational color associated with openness, peace, and tranquility,” Bales says. Blue’s tranquil effect has been studied for decades. According to Elliot’s article, psychologist Jacob S. Nakshian posited in a 1964 article in The Journal of Psychology that “shorter wavelength colors feel relaxing or cool.”
Given that blue has the second shortest wavelength of visible colors, you could expect that theory to bear out if you surround yourself with the hue. “Blue represents stability and reliability and makes people feel safe about being creative and exploratory,” Bales says.
Yellow
“Yellow is a warm, optimistic color that evokes joy, excitement, energy, creativity, and spontaneity,” Bales explains. “It has been found to stimulate cognitive processes and spark new ideas,” she adds.
Per Elliot’s research, Dr. Kurt Goldstein, a neurologist and psychologist, wrote in a 1942 article in Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitation that yellow could “produce systematic physiological reactions manifest in emotional experience,” including “outward focus.”
Yellow’s wavelength falls right in the middle of the visible color spectrum, so you’re not likely to have as strong a reaction to it as you would to colors with a longer wavelength. “[Yellow] also prompts people to pause and observe their surroundings — just like traffic lights or caution tape do,” Bales explains.
Green
“Green is a life-affirming hue that symbolizes nature, growth, abundance, and renewal,” Bales says. “For early humans, green indicated the presence of food, water, and shelter, key elements for survival,” she adds.
While green has a slightly longer wavelength than blue, it still offers similar benefits to your mood. “Today, green is considered one of the easiest colors to live with, known to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, especially when found in softer shades or tints,” Bales says.
Bonus color: Red. “It activates a heightened state of alertness, drawing attention to detail and our surroundings,” Bales says. She suggests that you can become more present in your home when you incorporate red into your holiday decor.
How to Decorate with Blue, Yellow, and Green
No matter what your personal style is, you can easily immerse these colors in your home. Ethan Greenfeld, interior designer and founder of Ethan Charles Design, shares the best ways to decorate with blue, yellow, and green this holiday season.
Blue. “I love decorating with blue around the holidays because it perfectly complements Hanukkah and Christmas,” Greenfeld says. “We’ll add blue pillows or a blue throw blanket for added color and texture,” he explains.
Greenfeld has a soft spot for teal during the holidays. “It pairs perfectly with gold and white,” he says. Greenfeld suggests surrounding blues and teals with neutral colors, like cream or white, to really make them stand out. “I use teal blue ribbon and ornaments with gold and white beading to bring everything together, and [I] love incorporating blue flowers throughout the home,” he says.
Yellow. Greenfeld says yellow adds unexpected cheer to his holiday decor. “Given that it evokes joy and excitement, it’s the perfect color to use for fall or holiday decor,” he says.
He recommends including yellow and gold ornaments on your tree, but you can incorporate it in other ways too. “A beautiful goldenrod throw blanket blends seamlessly with neutral surroundings,” Greenfeld says.
Green. “I love green, and [I] borderline consider it a neutral color,” Greenfeld says. “The easiest way to incorporate green into decor is to bring in plants and trees.” He says that this could mean your focal point is your Christmas tree or even a potted olive tree.
“Green is such a calming color, and given that it reduces stress and anxiety, it’s the ideal color for the holidays,” Greenfeld says.
Further Reading
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