Red : Physical

Positive: Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, 'fight or flight', stimulation, masculinity, excitement. Being the longest wavelength, red is a powerful colour. Although not technically the most visible, it has the property of appearing to be nearer than it is and therefore it grabs our attention first. Hence its effectiveness in traffic lights the world over. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than it is. It relates to the masculine principle and can activate the "fight or flight" instinct. Red is strong, and very basic. Pure red is the simplest colour, with no subtlety. It is stimulating and lively, very friendly.

Best for: The colour red is known as a sociable and lively colour and is used to stimulate the appetite, making this colour a prefect choice for dining rooms.

YELLOW. Emotional

Positive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity.

The yellow wavelength is relatively long and essentially stimulating. In this case the stimulus is emotional, therefore yellow is the strongest colour, psychologically. The right yellow will lift our spirits and our self-esteem; it is the colour of confidence and optimism.

Best for: Kitchens, dining rooms or north facing rooms.

GREEN - Balance

Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace.

Green strikes the eye in such a way as to require no adjustment whatever and is, therefore, restful. Being in the centre of the spectrum, it is the colour of balance - a more important concept than many people realise.

Best for: The colour green is known to aid concentration, making it a good colour for offices and study areas and bathrooms.

VIOLET. Spiritual

Positive: Spiritual awareness, containment, vision, luxury, authenticity, truth, quality.

The shortest wavelength is violet, often described as purple. It takes awareness to a higher level of thought, even into the realms of spiritual values. It is highly introvertive and encourages deep contemplation, or meditation. It has associations with royalty and usually communicates the finest possible quality. Being the last visible wavelength before the ultra-violet ray, it has associations with time and space and the cosmos.

Best for: Bedrooms and bathrooms to create a stress free sanctuary.

ORANGE. Passion

Positive: Physical comfort, food, warmth, security, sensuality, passion, abundance, fun.

Since it is a combination of red and yellow, orange is stimulating and reaction to it is a combination of the physical and the emotional. It focuses our minds on issues of physical comfort - food, warmth, shelter etc. - and sensuality. It is a 'fun' colour. This is particularly likely when warm orange is used with black. Orange colour is also supposed to be an aid to digestion.

Best for: Living and dining rooms.

PINK. Warmth

Positive: Physical tranquillity, nurture, warmth, femininity, love, sexuality, survival of the species.

Being a tint of red, pink also affects us physically, but it soothes, rather than stimulates. (Interestingly, red is the only colour that has an entirely separate name for its tints. Tints of blue, green, yellow, etc. are simply called light blue, light green…etc.) Pink is a powerful colour, psychologically. It represents the feminine principle, and survival of the species; it is nurturing and physically soothing.

Best for: The colour pink has become very fashionable again and can be found ranging from soft pink to tropical coral or playful raspberry. Pink is a good colour for bedrooms as it can be peaceful and restful and if mixed with a hot fuchsia, introduce passion.

GREY. Sophistication

Positive: Psychological neutrality.

Pure grey is the only colour that has no direct psychological properties. Neutral colours such as grey can be used to bring sense of order and peace to a Colourful palette. Grey is considered smart and sophisticated and ranges from dark charcoal to misty silver and looks great when paired to Colourful accents.

Best for: All rooms

BLACK. Energetic

Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance.

Black is all colours, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that are considerable. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Positively, it communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances. It works particularly well with white. It communicates sophistication and uncompromising excellence. It creates a perception of weight and seriousness (it is a myth that black clothes are slimming).

Best For: Moderation

WHITE. Purity

Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency.

Just as black is total absorption, so white is total reflection. In effect, it reflects the full force of the spectrum into our eyes. Thus it also creates barriers, but differently from black. It communicates, "Touch me not!" White is purity and, like black, uncompromising; it is clean, hygienic, and sterile.

Best for: All rooms with any colour combination

BROWN. Reliable

Positive: Seriousness, warmth, Nature, earthiness, reliability, support.

Brown usually consists of red and yellow, with a large percentage of black. Consequently, it has much of the same seriousness as black, but is warmer and softer. It has elements of the red and yellow properties. Brown has associations with the earth and the natural world. It is a solid, reliable colour and most people find it quietly supportive - more positively than the ever-popular black.

Best for: a very practical colour and can be used with any light colour combination in Living rooms