For some people, winter is a time of high activity that might include skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, snowmobiling and the like. For others, it’s a long stretch of dark and gloom that’s matched by their mood. The “winter blues” – officially known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is thought to affect 10 million Americans.
Various treatments are prescribed for SAD, all aimed at increasing the quality of the sufferer’s mood. Whatever can be done to make a person feel better about things and themselves is considered good therapy. That’s why we propose a treatment that consists of paint and light.
A new paint job with festive, energizing colors.
While interior painting likely wouldn’t be high on a therapist’s list, we know for a fact that surroundings can play a big part in a person’s mood. Even a “normal” person with no hint of the winter blues might start feeling a little low if made to live in a home with sad gray walls and dull lighting. Our emotions react to color, and when those emotions are already being dragged down, surrounding colors can play an even greater factor in how a person feels.
If you find that you’re fighting your moods every winter, you may want to consider an unconventional remedy.
Consider how a new interior paint job might help to bolster your spirits. Colors such as happy yellows, bright blues, racy reds and other vivid shades are proven mood-lifters. Having some or all of the rooms in your home painted in more motivating colors probably won’t completely solve winter depression, but it might make a very positive difference.
Let the light shine.
Along with fresh interior painting, think about adding the sparkle and pizzazz of unique lighting to some or all of your rooms. Like bright, playful colors, light is a known mood-enhancer. In fact, many experts are convinced that increased cloudy days coupled with less daylight time, overall, is a primary trigger to winter doldrums.
What’s the lighting situation in your home? Are rooms lit only moderately well? Dimly lit rooms may be romantic for some, but for others they equal gloom. Solve this by purchasing some attractive lighting products that will chase away the shadows. At the very least, use the lighting you already have to the fullest.
When it comes to choosing the right colors of paint for your interior rooms, there’s no lack of selection. Both Dunn Edwards and Sherwin Williams – two of our favorite paint manufacturers – have extensive palettes of gorgeous, uplifting paint colors for every taste and preference.
Our suggestion is to head toward the brighter, evocative colors, even if it’s only for trim work. For walls, definitely avoid anything too dark as well as solid white, which can make a room feel bleak and unwelcoming.