The past couple of years have put people to the test. From the pandemic to inflation to global conflict, there’s a lot to be stressed about. One way to counter the negativity of these difficult times, however, is to choose a mood-boosting color for your interior design.

According to scientific research, color impacts your emotions, for better or worse. Just think about how you feel in a sunny yellow kitchen compared to a charcoal gray man cave. There is a direct correlation between the color of your environs and your mood.

With that in mind, the experts at Southern Living suggest these colors to help optimize your mood throughout your house. You can try them on one wall, the ceiling, or, of course, the entire room:

Green: With its obvious connection to nature, green helps create a serene environment that represents life and growth. Green is a perfect option for rooms meant for quiet and concentration, such as a bedroom, home office or library. It’s also a great choice for urbanites longing for a touch of the outdoors in their hectic lives.

Blue: Blue has a similar impact to green, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, and triggering relaxation. Its calm-inducing qualities make it perfect for just about any room of the house, from bedrooms to offices to bathrooms.

White: With its ability to reflect more light than any other color, white is the perfect choice to open up a small, dark space and thereby, open up your mood. With its intrinsic connection to purity and cleanliness, white can induce a sense of order and a fresh start. Needless to say, this makes it a great choice for any room.

Orange: Infuse some energy into a room by painting it orange. Available in a variety of warm shades, orange stimulates social interaction—and your appetite!—making it a great choice for the kitchen, eating areas, the family room or home gym.

Yellow: Nothing is more universally associated with happiness than the sun, making yellow a wonderful choice to brighten the mood in any room. Bright shades of yellow are perfect for the kitchen, while paler shades help lift spirits in living rooms and bedrooms.