The psychology of COLOUR

Colour psychology is key to how Sarah Reynolds designs interiors for her clients and for herself. Here she offers her advice on creating a feel-good home...

- Sarah Reynolds

I've always been very aware of colours and patterns. When I was a child, I was conscious that the 1970s - the era of my childhood - were very orange and brown with a bit of William Morris pattern chucked in, even in my dolls' house. When the bold colours of the Memphis movement appeared in the 1980s, along with the influence of 1950s Miami ice-cream pastels and neons, I became aware of a different world of colour.

It was while working as a visual merchandiser at Habitat that I learned about colour psychology and, once I was aware of the effects of colour on people, I picked up books on the subject and researched online. Understanding which colours my clients are drawn to, combined with my knowledge of the effects that certain colours have on us, is now the starting point of all of my design projects.