Scousers have the most colourful homes in the UK

Scousers are well-known for their colourful personalities and whether its red, blue, pink or even yellow the city’s homeowners also have the most colourful taste in home décor. 

Research completed by interior décor experts Arthouse has revealed that Liverpudlians favour the brightest colours in their home, more than any other region in the UK, with one in ten choosing yellow or pink as their preferred interior paint colour choice. 

Arthouse teamed up with Karen Haller, the UK’s leading Applied Colour & Design Psychology Expert to determine whether where you lived really can impact on your home styling.  

The survey of 2,000 people found that when it came to painting their homes, one in three (34%) of people in the north of England favoured brighter blues, yellows and pinks compared to just one tenth of people living in the southern regions, who tend to favour more neutral colours such as white and grey.

This suggests those who live in the north are more adventurous with their colour choices. It might also mean they decorate more frequently and are willing to experiment and try out new colours which are full of energy, vibrancy and personality to brighten up the greyest of days.  

Whereas in the south, they are more likely to opt for safe, reliable colours that are more muted and don’t demand attention, allowing their colour and personality to shine through their choice of furnishings and accessories instead. 

Liverpool’s preference towards pinks and yellows, suggests it could be Britain’s trendiest city, as these are colours Karen suggests are the most popular to come out of lockdown.

Talking on what their colour choices say about them, Karen stated that Liverpudlians are most likely to be use colour to express how they are feeling or want to feel.

She said: “Yellow is the colour of sunshine; it brightens our day. It the colour that represents happiness and waves a cheery hello!  It’s the colour of optimism so maybe this is showing that those from Liverpool are looking to bring happiness into their everyday life.

“Pink and especially soft pinks -is like wrapping yourself in a warm embrace, as psychologically it represents nurturing, tenderness, compassion, so it’s no surprise using pink in the home is on the rise given the uncertainty we’ve experienced over the past 18 months.

“It just happens that the two most popular colour choices to come out of lockdown are yellow and pink – which would suggest Liverpool is in touch with times.”

Whilst its Mancunian neighbours also favour the brighter colours (pink and blue) the colour grey is a close contender with a third citing this as their shade of choice.

Karen said: “This is interesting because grey is a colour that can, over time feel draining, like you feel on a grey day and I’ve seen a common antidote to this is people to bring in ‘pops of colour’ as their way of ‘brightening up’ a grey day.

“With Manchester being famous for its rain, the survey suggests this isn’t putting residents off the trend for grey walls and they are also not afraid to liven it up with some bolder colour choices.”

Similarly, those living in the Midlands favour a pop of colour, with decorators here favouring the colour red (25%) more than any other region.

Karen said: “Red is outgoing and loves being centre of attention with a ‘look at me’ attitude – it’s the opposite of grey. Red isn’t shy and retiring like grey. It’s the life of the party with its vibrant energy and will be dancing until dawn!”

Londoners by comparison play it safe when it comes to their choice in paint colours, with more than half (53%) opting for a ‘low energy’ white or cream for their walls.

Karen said: “Colours that are often called ‘neutral’ in colour psychology terms relates to turning down the emotional energy. This is because colour is emotion, it makes us feel something.

“If we think of red, it’s high in energy, it’s noisy and loud. White on the other hand is quiet, there is little noise. Some people use it as a way to cocoon away and shut the door on all the noise and stimulation from the outside world.”

To ensure it caters for the diverse style choices of our nation, Arthouse has launched its first ever range of paint products. Its Chalky Matt paint comes in a range 24 colours – from Vintage Lace to Tuscany yellow.

Paul Mullan, CEO at Arthouse said: “We know from our sales data, that there are differences in regional style, decorating and furnishing preferences, but the results of this survey, really does show our regional personalities has an impact on our colour choices.

“This is our first foray into the world of paint and we wanted to create a range that would appeal to as many people as possible and cover the whole spectrum of colours.

“It was also important to us that we didn’t bombard people with too much choice – as we know just how difficult it can be to make that all important paint colour decision.

“We also know that our styles and preferences change, which is why our paint is easy to apply and provides twice as much coverage compared to other leading paints brands. It’s also affordable, meaning you can change your mind as often as you like.”

Arthouse Chalky Matt Paint is sold in 2.5l tins, priced at RRP £29.99 and is available from Very, Studio, World of Wallpaper and many others and full product details can be found at www.arthouse.com