Colour psychology applied in the home of TV's Doc Martin

For many of us, there’s no better way to spend time with the television than watching Doc Martin. Martin and Louisa and James Henry live in a murky world of tired, grayed out colours, however, that, like so much in Cornwall according to Dr. Ellingham just fails.

Dr. Ellingham’s surgery should move from current colour to a lighter, sage-y green. That will make it seem bigger, brighter, and an all around more pleasant place to be—all without compromising the doctor’s ability to creatively reason his way to resolving tricky medical mysteries. Science has shown that colours that are not very saturated but relatively bright are relaxing to look at, and that lighter colours on walls make spaces seem larger, for example. Also, when we look at greens, [restrict] we’re apt to think more creatively, even if we’re not Martin Ellingham.

Since time seems to pass more quickly in cool coloured spaces than warmer ones, the surgery’s waiting room should definitely remain a cool colour. A not very saturated brighter one would be relaxing for patients and blues signal competence, which is always a good thing in a medical professional.

We also link blue with sleep, so any paint left over from painting the waiting room can be brought upstairs for bedroom use. If there’s no surplus, a slightly less saturated shade is desirable upstairs than downstairs because it will be a little more relaxing and better for falling asleep.

The kitchen and lounge off of it would best be painted a not very saturated but relatively light apricot or peach. Socializing seems to go more smoothly in areas with warm colours, and God knows that Martin needs all the help he can get when he needs to connect with other living things.