If like me, when someone asks: “what’s your favourite colour?” Your reply is always “depends”, then you can definitely relate to Pantone, the global authority for colour, as their favourite colour changes every year.
In 2018 it was Living Coral, in 2019 it was Ultra Violet, and yesterday, Pantone announced their Colour of the Year for 2020 and it’s… Classic Blue. Just like the ocean, the EU flag, Instagram circa 2012 or Too Faced Melted Matte in the shade Who’s Zoomin’ Who.
So, why blue? Isn’t blue a sad colour? Well actually, it’s not. Blue is the exact opposite on the colour wheel to the fiery colours like red, orange and yellow. While these colours can make you feel frantic and unsettled, blue incites the very opposite of that. The colour Classic Blue, especially when displayed permanently in your home can instil calmness and tranquility helping to reduce anxiety and depression, as well as normalise your blood pressure and heart rate.
In a time like 2019 when there’s 1.3 million people in contact with NHS mental health services in the UK this year (so far), it’s not surprising that Pantone have chosen this colour to give all of us battling these conditions a soothing blue hug (cheerleader somersault for Pantone).
So, exactly how do we incorporate this colour blue into our home? We’re not talking about painting the entire house and having Eiffel 65 – I’m Blue on repeat until 2021. Just a few accents of colour can revolutionise your home and maybe your mental health for good.
You might want to introduce Classic Blue into your lounge if that’s where you like to unwind, in your bedroom if that’s where you struggle the most with your anxiety or in your bathroom if that’s where you go to escape. Whatever the space, there’s always a way to make it fit.
Start off by choosing a room that has a blank-ish canvas. An accent of colour into your home works best with neutral colours; that’s white, cream and grey. Traditionally, an accent colour should consume 10% of the room, this could be artwork, cushions or accessories. Little touches like these are inexpensive and sometimes are all you need to give the room a make-over. But, since we’re fighting our mental health here, we can afford to upscale it.
Why not paint a feature wall behind your bed or by your fireplace, this can give your home a whole new personality and having it in your peripheral vision constantly could subconsciously calm your inner-demons. You could use soft-furnishings like a rug, a throw or curtains to add cosiness and luxury to a room that needs a homely boost.
Whether you decide to go little or large in your Classic Blue pop of colour, make 2020 your year to transform your home and improve your mental health – two birds, one stone.
If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration we’ve picked out some of our favourite homeware pieces to get you started:
