I can sing a rainbow - colouring your life

Instinctively, we all recognise that colours can affect the way we feel and perform, with impact on our moods, health, wellbeing and happiness. It nourishes our senses. ! The use of complementary colours and conflicting colours can heighten the affects

Sometimes the psychology is result of conditioning - older men are said to like navy blue and bottle green. Apparently it brings back fond memories (in the past school knickers were invariably either navy or green). Sometimes, the result of emulating nature - black and yellow stripes in nature spell 'danger. Next time you are at a cocktail party and spot a women dressed in this combinations and beware - she is probably predatory.

Discordant combinations make us uneasy - to want to get out of the place as soon as possible. This psychology is sometimes used by fast food companies in an attempt to maximise turnaround of diners.

Understanding the better use of colours in our lives is where Feng Shui can contribute so much - making sure our living environment is in harmony with our psyche.

Independent studies also confirm what Feng Shui practitioners have known for centuries. For example, Canon commissioned psychologist Dr David Lewis to research the impact of colour on staff productivity. First finding was that 80% of people confirm a significant impact from the colours in their environment on their mood and their performance - with well over 90% disliking the white/off white 'tundra' decor of most modern offices.

Lewis put things to the test, using colour booths. People tested in a colour environment they liked, performed 10% better at problem solving. Red increased tension and mental agitation, while blue enhanced mood and brain function.

No wonder many corporations are taking the  lessons on board. Bloomberg has chosen a strong orange theme to encourage creativity, while Schroders have opted for a rainbow - changeable coloured lighting.

Colour psychology can be applied to branding, packaging, web design, interiors, product design and uniforms, as well as personal application in your home or the office.

So, what are some of the associations colours can conjure up for us?

Red is ssociated with: Danger, passion, energy, warmth, adventure, optimism. The colour we pay attention to - the warmest and most energetic. It is a sociable and lively colour, used to stimulate the appetite. We associate it with blood, love, danger, passion, desire, speed, strength, violence, anger, emergency, halt! It can evoke a fight-or-flight response, raise blood pressure and make the heart beat faster.

Orange (a combination of yellow ane red)  is ssociated with: Warmth, stability, reassurance, sunset, autumn leaves. Orange expresses energy. Its luminous qualities are often used to grab attention.

Oranges can be rich and spicy but there is a risk of making rooms look smaller, so use only when there is plenty of natural light.

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Yellow isssociated with: Sunshine joy, happiness, optimism, hope and energy, creativity. It timulates the intellect.

Yellow should not be used for a bedrooms as it is not a very restful colour. Yellow ranges from soft creamy butter to deep amber and is a friendly and inviting colour. Be careful with yellow as some stronger shades can enhance feelings of emotional distress. The yellow rose is a symbol of friendship, less passionate or threatening than red.

Green is a favourite colour, associated with: Nature, environment, renewal, spring, vigour, well-being and harmony, security, stability and balance. It is known to aid concentration - ideal for the study.

Blue is a soothing, calming colour, a ssociated with: Peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism. It promotes intellectual thought.

Depending of the lighting in a room, blue can be cold and unwelcoming. To counter this, choose blues with warm undertones. It can slow the pulse rate and lower body temperature.

Blue is considered a business color because it reflects reliability - hence IBM's willingess to be referred to as Big Blue.

Black is really an absence of colour, associated with: Drama, death, power, sexuality, sophistication, elegance, depression (Churchill referedd to his bouts of depression as his 'black dog'). We often cloak ourselves in black to hide from the world.

White is the colour of purity - white light, associated with: Simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility. It can help cleanse emotions, thoughts and spirit, with its sensation of freedom and uncluttered openness. Too much white however can be cold and isolating because it separates us from other people.

Grey is associated with: Sophistication , self-reliance, independence and self-control. It often has negative associations, such as a foggy day, clouds and smoke. It is the colour of evasion, being neither black nor white. It acts as a shield from outside influence.

Neutral colours such as grey can be used to bring sense of order and peace to a colourful palette.

So, there we have it. Now go away and sing your own rainbow!