Which colour paint is best for a learning environment?
‘The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour most.’-John Ruskin
When thinking of learning and mental health, most of us don’t consider colour to play a vital role in it. However, it is just the opposite! Colour psychology is widely researched and it has been found that different colours stimulate different emotions and behaviours… Understanding this is the key to choosing the right paint for your next decorating job.
When you go to places like hospitals, you can usually see that the place is painted white-sometimes with hints of a pale blue. This is because the colour white suggests sterility.This calms patients and supports the idea of cleanliness in the place where they are being treated.
But, this article is not about painting hospitals, it is about painting classrooms- learning environments- which are an essential part of a child’s learning and development. It has been suggested that the average primary school child will spend roughly 635 hours per year in a classroom. That is why it is essential to make sure the classroom is in an optimum state to enrich a child’s learning, psychological health and development.
So, Your Castle Caretakers have carefully collated some key colours and their behavioral responses to help you next time you choose a colour to paint your classroom with:
YELLOW:
Energizing and uplifting, can stimulate happier emotions but tones that are too bright may be distracting.
BLUE:
Calming, stimulates creativity, known to decrease fatigue.
RED:
Provoking attention and concentration in a classroom, increases confidence.
GREEN:
Can be calming if colour isn’t too bright. Can create a peaceful and calming environment.
WHITE:
Provides no distraction- encourages concentration, reflective of cleanliness and sterility if the room is kept clean but contrasts mess and dirt easily when present.
ORANGE:
Stimulates concentration but also feeling of hunger!