Calming colors can change the mood of your home.

These subtle hues will help you relax and de-stress.

The colors you choose to decorate your home add to its beauty and style, but did you ever think about how they can affect your mood and level of stress? Color is a factor in making your home a stress-free zone that relaxes you and elevates your feeling of calm.

To make your rooms a peaceful refuge, think ahead when you select your design colors:

• Select cool colors, such as blue, violet and blue-green.
• Use soft, muted shades of almost any color, including powder blue, sage green, pale pink and gentle salmon.
• Create a calm look with neutral shades, such as cream, ivory and pale gray.

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Use calming colors for a variety of your home décor elements, including paint, rugs and carpeting, upholstery, bed linens and more. Looking for even more peace and harmony in your home? Focus on reducing the clutter and chaos; that will go a long way in helping you feel more relaxed and calm.

Just to play devil’s advocate … be aware that the mood you want to create may be different in the various rooms of your home. In rooms where you want to feel energized and productive, such as your kitchen or home office, you might want to avoid calming colors and instead select bright hues to raise your energy level.

Think ahead about your need for relaxation and a mellow mood before you select the colors for your interior design. Then sit back, relax and enjoy your home!

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