It’s the world's favourite colour and the shade we’re diving into this episode. From the sky to the ocean, we’re surrounded by the blue colour palette. So, it’s no surprise that we constantly welcome this colour into our homes and wardrobes.

Did you know that right now 35% of people on the planet are wearing a shade from the blue colour palette?

While the blue colour palette has always been associated with bathrooms and bedrooms, we’re seeing more homeowners go for dark, moody blues and inky, navy shades in their living spaces. It’s often assumed that blue is a cold colour, but with the right lighting (we’ll talk about this later), a cool shade can be easily warmed up. Perhaps that’s another reason why blues are so popular?

Like green, the blue colour palette also connects us with nature. In a way, it’s in our genes. So it’s only natural that it would make us feel safe and happy – something we all need right now.

One of the best things about the blue colour palette is its universal appeal between men and women. Blues work well with many colour families, you can make it feel feminine or masculine.  

Oranges or coppers make blue sing because they’re at opposite sides of the colour wheel. Steph also thinks blues and pinks go really well together. Then there’s Brave Ground, the Dulux Colour of the Year 2021, which would also pair perfectly with the blue colour palette.

But what makes blue special is its power to positively affect our mental and physical wellbeing. Shades of blue can be used to create calming rooms, which you can read about here. This is something that Marianne has been investigating recently and how soothing colours can help people with migraines. 

You might not know this, but there's a long-established relationship between visual stimuli and migraines. Research has found that particular coloured lenses and light can be used to lower discomfort.

This year, Marianne had an exciting opportunity to work on a project with TEVA UK and the National Migraine Centre. A survey was carried out to discover if people with migraines have particular preferences for colours in their homes.

1,216 participants, all who suffer from migraines, took part in the survey which ran over 17 days in total. The results showed that there was a strong preference for certain colours.

Colour can help us on a physical level. The survey found that cool, nature inspired colours, like soft greys greens and blues, didn’t trigger migraines. This suggests that soothing colours like Polished Pebble, Shell Stories or Tranquil Dawn could be migraine-friendly colours.

1 in 7 people in the world suffer from migraines. So, this was an important piece of research and something we hope to build on with longer term studies. But first, we spoke to migraine specialist, Dr Katy Munro.

Speaking to a real life doctor was an absolute privilege. We couldn’t thank Dr Munro enough for the time she took to talk to us about the power colours have to make our life better. Here’s what she had to say…

What is your speciality?

“My background is a general practitioner. But several years ago, I decided that I would specialise more in headaches. And so, I joined the National Migraine Centre as a headache specialist GP. I find it very rewarding to work in that way.”

How many people suffer from migraine?

“It's incredibly common. About 1 in 7 people suffer from migraines. And three times as many women have them than men.”

How many people do you treat at the migraine centre?

“It's increasing all the time, especially since lockdown. We can do video and telephone consultations, so we have a much longer time to talk to patients. They can really tell us what their triggers are and how they're impacted by their migraine. Then we can work out the best treatment for them.”

What do migraines actually do?

“Migraines are a genetic condition. The genes you've inherited make your brain easily irritated. Either by internal changes through your hormones, blood sugar levels or stress. Or external changes like stuffy rooms, light or getting really heated. The brain then starts to produce pain. Some people experience visual disturbances, slurring or dizziness, others get tingling in their arms and legs. Even after a few days people still feel groggy.”

What colours trigger migraines?

“Sensitivity is one of the key things that we ask patients about, such as light sensitivity and colour sensitivity. A vivid patch of colour next to darker surroundings can trigger migraines. Or things like spots and zigzags, stripes.”

What do you think of migraine friendly colours?

“It’s all about keeping the brain calm. Colours of nature, like greens or the blue colour palette will really help. People with migraines should consider a range of colours that’s going to be gentle on their brain.”

And finally, what is your favourite colour?

“Green. Definitely. It's always been green for a long time.”

We are incredibly proud of the study and collaboration with the National Migraine Centre. It was a pleasure speaking to Dr Munro and getting her input on the survey.

Colour can truly have a positive effect on our health, as well as our homes. We hope what you hear on the podcast helps you too!  

Here’s our guide to choosing migraine-friendly colour palettes for your home. 

It’s only fitting that we end episode 5 with a feel good colour story from one of the participants from the National Migraine Colour Survey.

Here’s what Imogen had to say on how colour affects her life.

“I do quite a lot of painting and it had never occurred to me that the colours may affect me, that I may perceive them in a different way to other people, or that they may affect my migraine.”

Imogen’s partner also suffers from migraines and she recently painted his flat.

“I decorated his flat in greys and muted teals and blues. It was a subconscious thing that I did. I must be drawn to that kind of colour because I find it less nauseating. The colour combination makes me feel relaxed”.

As always, we had so much fun recording the podcast and speaking with you, our colourful decorating community. So, thank you for tuning in – if you haven’t already, you can catch all our episodes here.

Remember, if you have a question for Dr Dulux or you need to confess a decorating disaster, just drop us an email or a voice note.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast too. So, if you can spare a few moments, please do leave us a review. Your support really means a lot to us!

It’s a joy recording and making this podcast for people who love colour as much as we love colour. The next episode will be our final one of the series… so make sure you tune in! If you can’t wait ‘til then, we’ve left a clue of what’s to come below…

Thanks again,