The feel-good benefits of home decorating: why painting a room could be the wellbeing boost you need this spring
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Painting a room will instantly brighten up a tired room, but now it seems this simple home decorating task could help to create an all-round happier home, too.
Once regarded as a weekend chore, painting and decoating a room makes 52 per cent of those surveyed happier, versus the 48 per cent of Londoners who prefer to get their endorphins from a gym workout.
The majority of Londoners who feel energised by redecorating their houses find inspiration from TV shows and films, such as recent films The Personal History of David Copperfield or Emma, before picking up the paintbrush.
Magazines, blogs and social media are also popular sources for keen Londoner renovators, with interiors lovers regularly choosing Instagram and Pinterest for their décor inspiration.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8KDeRNnnbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8KDeRNnnbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-136486-https://www.instagram.com/p/B8KDeRNnnbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-vars-event-id="c23"> <div> <div> </div> <div> <div> </div> <div> </div> </div> </div> <div> </div> <div><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"/></g></g></g></svg></div> <div> <div>View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div> </div> <div> <div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> </div> <div> <div> </div> <div> </div> </div> <div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> </div> </div> </a> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8KDeRNnnbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-136486-https://www.instagram.com/p/B8KDeRNnnbJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-vars-event-id="c23">From a character’s costume, to your favourite scene, let your walls be inspired by the silver screen 🎥 Swipe and tap to shop Homebase paint above!</a> A post shared by <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/homebase_uk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-136486-https://www.instagram.com/homebase_uk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-vars-event-id="c23"> Homebase</a> (@homebase_uk) on <time datetime="2020-02-04T19:42:39+00:00">Feb 4, 2020 at 11:42am PST</time> </div>
New neutrals and pale pastels
Homebase revealed the survey results alongside the launch of its collection of 68 fresh shades of paints. Bestsellers for the season so far include Silver Cloud, a neutral grey colour, Soft Mustard, a toned-down version of the yellow hue and a bright and vibrant Teal.
Jason Hines, Homebase’s trading director said: “We know how much our customers love their home, and painting walls is one of the easiest ways to refresh a tired space or to transform an entire room.
“It comes as no surprise to us that a freshly decorated room makes people feel happy, and Homebase Paint, with over 60 new colours, has been designed to inspire customers.”
So, which colours will help to lift your mood this spring?
Pair spring colours with similar hues to create a stylish serene look.
Homebase experts recommend painting your walls a calming tone of yellow or pink. Try pastel hues, such as Angel Pink, Lemon Soufflé and Mineral Spring — a pale, minty green.
These calming colours create a serene space without being too overbearing.
Alternatively, be bold and go for contrast to bring a colour scheme to life. Angel Pink works well with teal accents for a contemporary look.
Yellow tones, meanwhile, can be paired with a more muted beige shade such as Parched Earth or the slightly darker Biscuit for a sophisticated finish.
Taking its inspiration from the new film adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, Lemon Soufflé, in particular, works well with pale purple Sweet Lavender, neutral Cottonseed and pale Hush Pink.
Neutral colours effortlessly tie in with natural wood furniture and lots of greenery, while accenting a neutral or grey feature wall with mustard accessories will add a pop of sunshine.
Take a look at our gallery above for more interior decoration inspiration...