Boost Your Mood with Color

Energy: Red and Violet

These two stimulating colors boost your energy level by causing your body to pump out more adrenaline, says Leslie Harrington, a founder of LH Color, a color-consulting and research firm in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. One British study found that when evenly matched Olympic athletes competed, those wearing red won significantly more than their blue-wearing opponents. These high-energy colors are especially good in home offices, entryways, small sitting rooms, or staircases. (Avoid them in the bedroom and bathroom, where you want to relax.) If you want to feel inspired but not wired, add just a touch here and there―a red-leather magazine caddy or even a big bunch of fresh red or purple flowers, suggests Shane Reilly, a San Francisco–based interior designer.