How To Decorate Using Your Favorite Color

Most of us are pretty familiar with color theory (do you remember all the primary and secondary colors from second grade art class?), but you might not be so familiar with color therapy. Chromotherapy is a pseudoscientific practice that uses colors to help balance one’s energies and affect the mind, body, and spirit — a practice that can easily be translated into your home décor. March is Color Therapy Month, and whether you believe in color therapy or not, you have to admit that colors can have an affect on you. Why else would companies put so much thought into what color their logos should be? Why else do fashion designers stick so closely to their favorite hues of the season?

Color therapy has been around since the 10th century and involves balancing the body’s seven chakras, or energies, with exposure to specific colors. It is by no means a viable medical treatment for things like diabetes, cancer, or kidney disease (as some practitioners claim), but certain colors can be more beneficial in certain environments.

So how can color therapy be worked into your home décor? Try adding a few cool décor pieces like art, a new lamp, or a different bedspread in my suggested colors and see how you feel. And just a note: these collections aren’t meant to all go together — so don’t make every single thing in your living room red — they’re just examples of how you can easily work these colors into your existing décor.

Red For Living Rooms

Feeling a little run down or just kind of bleh? Red is used in color therapy to help boost energy, stimulation, and the senses. The color red is said to also help heighten low blood pressure and to help people get over colds. I love red for the living room because this is typically the first room people see in your home (even in studio apartments), and it's probably the room you spend the most time in aside from the bedroom. Brighter red tones will help give the room a more energetic feel, while deeper red tones will make you feel more at home and in a comfortable space. But don't pack too much red in there — it can make the room seem smaller.

Clock, bobbyberkhome.com; Couch, allmodern.com; Mirror, grandinroad.com; Lamp, lampsplus.com; Flowers, jossanmain.com; Candle holder, ahalife.com; Trays, serenaandlily.com; Pillow, habitat.co.uk; Rug, insideavenue.com; Art Print, potterybarn.com

Yellow For Kitchens

I feel happy just thinking about a sunny yellow kitchen. Aside from being such a cheerful color, yellow can also help with digestion, confidence, and getting your mind right — much like that morning cup of coffee or tea. It also helps with concentration, like when you're tackling a difficult recipe, and can boost your mood, even when you have a sink full of dishes to deal with. Yellow looks great in kitchens, especially if you have an all white or wood accented space.

Tea cup, liberty.co.uk; Art print, etsy.com; Light, connox.com; Plate, crateandbarrel.com; Stool, bluefly.com; Knife block, thehut.com; Napkin, purehome.com; Chair, crateandbarrel.com; Pot, bluefly.com; Electronic kettle, amara.com

Blue For Bedrooms

You know that calming feeling you get when you stare out at the ocean? That's the power of blue speaking to you. Blue emulates a sense of tranquility, trust, and open communication — the perfect setting for a bedroom. You want to feel safe and rested in this space, and able to trust and talk to your partner, if you have one. Purple is also a great color for bedrooms, so you could do a mixed color scheme.

Drapes, houzz.com; Candles, amara.com; Clock, hottopic.com; Lamp, lampsplus.com; Side table, habitat.co.uk; Bed spread, denydesigns.com; Charging station, etsy.com; Art print, potterybarn.com

Green For Workspaces

We all have trouble being productive and focused at work every once in a while. Use green to help add some balancing energy, and inspire practicality and adaptability, to your workspace — be it a whole office, a cubicle, or wherever you find yourself working. Since I work from home, I don't always have a dedicated workspace, but you can always try to bring green into your space in non-decor ways like using a green mug or headphones. The easiest way to bring green into your space? Have an office plant!

Ottoman, bluefly.com; Art print, etsy.com; Desk accessories, zincdoor.com; Mug, bloomingdales.com; Chair, target.com; Headphones, nordstorms.com; Notebook, holtrenfrew.com; Magazine file, habitat.co.uk; Laptop case, nordstorms.com; Plant, wayfair.com

White Or Gray For Bathrooms

I know, I know — whites and grays for bathrooms seem like a no-brainer. Your bathroom might already be filled with white and gray decor, and there's a reason for that. White is the color of cleansing and purification, and helps calm the heart and mind. That's exactly the kind of environment you want surrounding you during your evening soaks, right? But all white can feel a little boring, so add a few gray pieces to break up the monotony and give your space a spa-like feel.

Jewelry bowl, belk.com; Towels, wayfair.com; Makeup organizer, nelly.com; Art print, etsy.com; Bathroom accessories, casa.com; Shower curtain, bobbyberkhome.com; Tissue box, shophorne.com; Counter pots, connox.com; Bath mat, bedbathandbeyond.com

Image: Fotolia