Warm greeting, friends! It’s Christa O’Leary of Home in Harmony Designs.

During this time of year it would be difficult not to notice the change of energy or pace that people move at during these next few months. You might enjoy the accelerated swiftness this season brings, or you might cringe at the chaotic cadence. Either way, it is my goal to provide you easy and quick tips to give you a home in harmony and joyful living to help make the coming weeks flow smoothly.

You’ve probably heard me talk about color but it bears repeating. Colors have a tremendous influence on your psychological and physiological state. Research has shown that color impacts your body chemistry inducing heart rate, hormone production, and cortisol levels. These control your mood, energy level, and weight. Psychologically, studies have demonstrated that color has an affect on your mental state. That has a direct bearing on your level of happiness and satisfaction in life.

Understanding color and utilizing it to support you is important during every season, but can be even more critical during the holidays. So let’s specifically talk about red, because it is often associated with the Christmas season. Psychologically red enhances power, regression, anger, and passion. Physiologically red is associated with increased heart rate, increased hunger, and makes kids more energetic. If you are already feeling agitated or stressed, is this a good color to use?

I did a TV segment on CBS that was all about holiday harmony and how to decorate without red. We actually went into someone’s home and redecorated, she was blown away by the transformation and by the fact that we used white, gold, brown, and silver to make her home sing with the spirit of the season. On camera she actually says that she had her doubts before my team and I went in to do the makeover. When we did the reveal, she was gushing that it was so festive and that it felt so serene. That is how your environment can affect you and how tweaking color can have a huge impact. In this home we’re showcasing, we utilized blue, gold, and silver to demonstrate how beautiful and luxurious calm holiday color can look.

I invite you to create your home in harmony holiday by using colors that truly support you during the frenzy of this holiday season.