Whether your building a contemporary, traditional or modern home, the colour palette you choose can have a dramatic impact on your mood, emotions and behaviour.   

Colours have deep subliminal messages that affect people’s thinking and rational, and it’s vital homeowners strike the right balance.  

Generation Homes’ paint supplier, Dulux, encourages people to explore a range of different colour combinations before lifting a brush.

Dulux Colour Brand Manager Davina Harper says colour psychology refers to the way people think and feel when they walk into a room.

“Some people want their home to be a calm haven where they can relax and escape from the daily grind. These people will typically select soft neutrals or colours that are of similar tones while other people want to come home to something more vibrant, uplifting and fun,” she says.

“Red can make a big impact in dining rooms because it evokes a warm and cosy feeling that is said to make you feel hungry and stimulate conversation.”  

Yellow can create a happy, sunny feel and will make the room brighter as it radiates warmth and is a reflective colour. It is most commonly paired with fresh whites or cool greys to carry an intrinsically bright and optimistic feel.

Blue can provide a tranquil, serene atmosphere and create a sense of spaciousness. Blue looks great with warm neutrals or bright whites making it an ideal choice for creating a fresh, new look. Blue shades also have a unique calming quality that often remind people of nature.  

Red is the colour of strength and power but it can be used to create a wonderfully warm and passionate space with a hint of excitement. Red works wonders as a dramatic entrance colour on a door or walkway, and it can also make a bold statement in a contemporary dining or living area. Red can also be combined with earthy orange tones to stimulate the senses.  

It’s hard to go past the classic appeal of whites and neutrals. Bright and fresh, they provide the perfect backdrop for rich timber finishes and splashes of colour on a bold feature wall or statement household accessories. The colour range typically varies between cool or warm tones in white, neutral, grey, beige, tan, cream and coffee-tones.

Renovation shows like The Block NZ have positioned grey as a ‘must have’ colour in modern homes. From expansive living areas to cosy bedrooms or chic bathrooms, grey provides the ideal background to highlight strong colours, whites, layered textures and bold prints.  

Relaxing and restful to the eye, green can create a cool, fresh and calm atmosphere. Some of the trending shades of green include lime, mint, citrus and teal. Greens are commonly paired with fresh whites and cool greys to mirror the refreshing balance of nature. 

Homeowners can create the perfect playful setting with pastel shades and deeper hues of pink and purple. Lavender is lovely in a baby’s nursery but in stark contrast a rich eggplant can make for a stunning feature wall in a living area. Experimenting with purple can create the illusion of grandeur while pink can help add a sense of charm and softness to your home.