Dispel Holiday Blues by Adding New Color to Your Home

Spring House, PA - If you're blue now that the holidays are over, you may be able to pick up your spirits by adding some new color to your home. So says Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute, who recently was named one of the "Top 200 Influencers in the Home Design Industry". She advises that interior painting can be a panacea for much of what ails you after the holidays.

"It's normal to have a letdown this time of year, but jumping right into a project that freshens your surroundings with some attractive new color can re-charge your batteries and even brighten your outlook," says Zimmer.

Post-holiday painting is supported by some strong logic: winter is an ideal time to start an interior project; with no holiday event on the immediate horizon, you can work at a pace that suits you best; and your walls may well need to be painted after enduring the wear and tear of the festive season.

Even so, the biggest beneficiary of the new interior paint color may not be the bricks and mortar you call "home"...but rather, you yourself! Keeping busy, whether by painting or doing something else, helps create a feel of wellbeing; and painting typically produces a rewarding sense of accomplishment. Plus, introducing certain colors into your surroundings is a proven way to improve your mood.

Any new wall color may help lift your spirits, but for the biggest psychological lift, choose a happy hue. You might have a personal favorite that fits the bill; if not, psychologists have identified some specific wall colors that have a positive effect on nearly everyone. 

Among the pick-me-up hues is yellow, according to those who have studied these things. That's because yellow surroundings actually boost the level of serotonin in the brain, making one feel more joyful - creating, in effect, a "natural high"!

If yellow doesn't turn you on, then consider its close cousin, orange. According to color psychologists, tints and shades of orange give off positive vibes that we perceive as energy and warmth, both welcome feelings as winter sets in.

Not a fan of yellow or orange? Then brighten your surroundings with an off-white paint color or another very light tint. Any of these will help combat gray days that are so common this time of year. Just stick to the lighter side of the color chart and go with a color you love.

No matter what paint color you end up choosing, Zimmer advises that you pay close attention to the sheen level. "Gloss, semi-gloss and satin paints are more reflective, so they make the interior brighter yet; gloss is great for trim while semi-gloss or satin is better for walls," she says,

So if you're one of the many who need a pick-me-up after the holidays, think about picking up a paintbrush or roller and a can or two of top quality paint (100% acrylic is best). By doing some interior painting, you'll likely improve your spirits as much as your home.

For more information about interior painting and the psychology of color, visit the Paint Quality Institute website at blog.paintquality.com. 

The Paint Quality Institute was formed in 1989 to educate people on the advantages of using quality interior and exterior paints and coatings. The Paint Quality Institute's goal is to provide information on the virtues of quality paint as well as color trends and decorating with paint through a variety of vehicles, including television appearances, newspaper and magazine articles and instructional literature. Please be sure to visit the Paint Quality Institute at www.PaintQuality.com. PAINT QUALITY INSTITUTE and PAINTQUALITY.COM are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow.

Original Article: Holiday Blues