How Colours Can Have an Impact in the Kitchen

If you have every walked into your kitchen and your thoughts have turned to how hungrier you actually are than you first thought, it could possibly have something to do with your choice of colours that you have chosen for your walls influencing your mood and feelings.

In much the same way as a supermarket tries to tap into our subliminal senses by introducing the smell of recently baked bread and freshly ground coffee to improve our mood as we enter the shop, your choice of colour scheme in the kitchen can also affect your eating habits and general mood.

Choose your colours carefully

There are several key characteristics associated with certain colours and using them in your kitchen most certainly can influence your subconscious thoughts. Red is a vibrant colour and a bold design statement but have you ever wondered why a lot of restaurants have red walls? Although we also associate the colour red with romance and passion, it has also been shown that being exposed to the colour red will increase your appetite and promote hunger, which if you are of a cynical nature, is the reason why restaurants choose the colour so often. There have also been some studies that suggest that a red colour scheme can influence the causes of higher blood pressure.

Calming influence

If you are looking for a more calming colour that can change your mood to slow down your eating speed and prevent you from over indulging in the kitchen then the colour blue is probably a good choice. Painting your walls blue and even using blue coloured accessories such as place mats and pictures can all help to ensure that you eat more slowly and take on a much more relaxed persona in the dining area as you take more time and subsequently reduce your appetite, which is probably why there are not many restaurants with a blue decor that spring to mind.

Stimulating colours

Orange is certainly a stimulating colour and its effect is known to increase oxygen supply to the brain which in turn gives you a positive mental boost rather like an energy drink could boost you energy levels. The problem with an orange themed kitchen design is that it may have the effect of stimulating your appetite which is probably going to make the possibility of over-eating more likely.

Safe choice

Kitchen design expert Mike Taylor of www.kitchensbymiketaylor.com has noticed regular interest in getting the colour scheme right, not just for our visionary senses but on our subconscious as well. In this respect the colour grey is actually a pretty safe choice and despite the fact that some may consider it a slightly bland choice, it can actually work very well if incorporated into the overall design of the kitchen colour scheme and it also has a positive effect on your psychological senses. Grey is an ideal appetite suppressing colour to use in the kitchen as it is calming and relaxing whilst also neutralising feelings of anxiety, meaning you are less likely to snack or even binge eat if you have a kitchen with grey walls, food for thought!

Tom Grant extensive experience in interior design. He has a penchant for kitchens and enjoys passing on home improvement tips through blogging.