Spark Joy with These Happy Paint Color Ideas

Now that we’ve all decluttered, Marie Kondo style, it’s time to find other ways to spark joy—starting with the walls of our homes.

Experts say color has a strong impact on our mood and can even make us feel relaxed or energized, depending on the shade. So if you want more joy in your life, there are home renovation steps you can take. “Typically, when we think of colors that evoke joy, our mind thinks of yellow,” says Sue Wadden, color and trend expert at Sherwin-Williams. “While yellow is the most obvious choice, being bright and sunny, most nature-inspired hues give us the same feeling.”

Look to midtones that are located on paint chips between the deep, saturated colors and soft pastels. Choose a shade you love—you can even mix two or three together—then layer in pale and intense tones as you go. To increase the happiness quotient, include one of the primaries—red, yellow, or blue. These shades are what energize toddlers in preschools, lift spirits in medical centers, and encourage creativity at media companies, Internet startups, and centers of innovation. You'll know when to stop when you step into the space and feel happy.

Happy Colors By Room

A living room should be a happy place where you greet friends and family and hang out. Start with small accents, like throw pillows, lamp bases, photo frames, or area rugs that feature one or two of the "happy" palette. Teal, goldenrod, and persimmon are trendy shades of the powerful trio. Work these into your scheme in little doses, see how you like them, and then add more. For even more impact, paint the wall above the fireplace or the backs of bookshelves.

For the walls, Sue suggests Alabaster SW 7008. Being a neutral, Alabaster can comfortably cover a large room without overpowering the space. “This soft white has just a hint of yellow that warms it but keeps it neutral,” she says. “Perfect for any space, it complements all furniture and décor.”

A happy bedroom is a restful one. For this space, turn the volume of the happy colors down to the hushed tones of blush, soft apple, and faded periwinkle. These muted bedroom colors also work well as wall paint because, unlike jewel tones that sparkle in public spaces, they are visually quieter.

If you prefer a more saturated look, choose one or two hues to keep at full volume and mix in more subdued neutrals.  “This welcoming yellow is one of our most popular,” Sue says of Friendly Yellow SW 6680. “It’s light, perfect for spaces like a bedroom, where you want to be happy but calm at the same time.”

To make a dining room feel happy—yet still sophisticated enough for entertaining—pick variations of happy colors in classic, mature shades, such as crimson, nautical blue, or jade green. Decide where you want to let this happy shade play—is it subtly on dinnerware and accessories, in more forward doses on window treatments and upholstery, or in full view on walls? Wherever you pick, incorporate neutrals and wood tones on the other locations.

“For neutrals, you want colors that are on the warmer side—creamier whites and greiges (gray with a hint of brown),” says Sue. “Cool neutrals, while modern and chic, can be sterile and bland, which is the opposite of what you want when creating a space that brings you joy.”

You can go bold in a kitchen, where clamoring activities naturally make it a happy space. Pick the most overt, playful shades of the happy palette—stop-sign red, sunshine yellow, and cobalt blue. When set off against white cabinets and white or dark gray countertops, these shades ring out with clarity, so use them in tempered amounts, like backsplash accent tiles, a window valance, or countertop accessories.

Overjoy SW 6689 is one of those colors. “Like sunshine in a can, this color instantly brightens up a space without being overwhelming,” says Sue. “It’s best for communal spaces, where its cheery vibes will encourage laughter and conversation.” If you want to make a bigger statement, paint the island, and it will become an instant focal point.

Some colors that spark joy would be a little jarring if used on a whole room. Instead, pick a color you love and find it in a softer shade. Fans of jewel-toned plum, for example, would love joy-evoking Orchid from Sherwin-Williams. “Like its namesake, Orchid is an elegant purple,” says Sue. “It’s relaxing and is subdued enough to be used in the whole room if desired.”

A bathroom color scheme can work as a trio, or pick one shade to apply around the space on walls and accessories. Or, try a duo: Paint the vanity cabinetry sky blue and hang a coral-framed mirror above, for instance, or a lemon curtain hanging in front of a shower tiled in sky blue glass.

Let the colors of your entryway set a cheerful welcome for visitors. Examine the adjacent spaces and pick up on a happy hue to make a big splash in your entryway. For example, if you use sea glass green in your living room, use a midtone of the color (think jade) in your entryway. Pair your happy colors with carefree patterns, such as stripes, and surfaces, such as a high-gloss white console table. Look for ways to incorporate multicolor items in these happy midtones, such as on a rug or piece of art.