Importance of Colour

by | Mar 1, 2019 | Blogs

Importance of Colour

Colour is an important part of everyone’s visual experience. When decorating our homes, personal preference dictates many of our choices; most of us appreciate a contrast of different colours and decor to reflect our personalities and give our homes a personal stamp. However, in homes housing people with dementia, colour takes on even more importance. Colour and contrast can identify different rooms and other key features.

Independent living can be facilitated by using colour and contrast to support people in finding their way around their homes. They can be used to help people recognise important places and to highlight any hazards. For example, different colours can be used to indicate individual bedroom doors or bathrooms and help ease confusion.

The Use of Colour

Coloured doors can be important for people with dementia as not only do they signpost different rooms, but brightly coloured doors stand out and prevent the person from just walking past. It can also be a good idea to consider using a similar colour on a bedroom door to what the person had previously. Continuity can act as a reminder of different rooms and their purposes.

Contrasting key features can be used to help define objects. For instance, it may be easier to locate and use hand-rails and railings or sockets and switches if they contrast with their wall or background colour. Furniture that is in a very different colour to walls can help people with dementia and sight-loss to safely navigate around their rooms.
In addition to improving ease of living, colour can also play an important role in safety. Typically, the kitchen is the room with the most potential hazards in a domestic environment. For example, contrast can be used on the edges of kitchen cabinets to avoid accidental injuries. Likewise, cutlery that is a different colour to tables and plates can be useful for some people to define edges.
Scott Anson Painters and Decorators Ltd. recently undertook an interesting project to decorate a dementia home. As well as recognising the importance of colour for safety and wellbeing, the company also considered its role in improving emotional welfare. The calming effect of the colour blue was used in bedrooms and communal rest areas, whereas red and yellow are acknowledged to stimulate brain activity and were therefore used in activity areas.

The importance of colour in dementia homes should always be considered by decorators for the huge benefits it can have on residents.