We may not spend a lot of time thinking about room colour though it affects us every day. It can influence our moods and our thoughts. The feelings about colours are often deeply personal and rooted in our culture or experience. Do you know why red is such a popular colour in restaurants? It could be the most manipulative colour influencing everything, from figuring out what one needs when having dinner with family and friends or even making a quick decision over which menu dish sparks the appetite. There is no other colour like red when it comes to promoting liveliness and grabbing attention.

Colour can be a powerful way to convey emotions in your illustrations or artwork. One can see the effective use of emotive colours in the works of artist, Pablo Picasso. He used colours to evoke a specific atmosphere and to reinforce emotions. He painted in monochrome tones of blue which reflected his low psychological state, owing to the death of his friend and Spanish painter, Carlos Casagemas, who took his own life because of his unrequited love. This period of Picasso's work became popular as his 'blue period'. He painted as if he was viewing the world through a blue lens – a thing that no other artist had done before!

Zultanite is one of the most exciting gemstones around. Extremely rare, it has been known since 1801 when it was first discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia. The name is believed to reference the sultans who ruled the Ottoman Empire. It was not commercially mined until 2006. Zultanite has amazing colour changing properties when viewed under different sources of light, like sunlight and indoor light, making it fascinating for jewellery connoisseurs. Some people believe that Zultanite can help develop psychic powers, ambition, intellect, astral force, desire and emotions based on intellect and touch.

The moss agate also known as Montana agate is a creamy light yellow to almost clear colour. It is found in gravel deposits from the Pleistocene age in the area of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries. Rough Montana resembles a potato, making it difficult to distinguish it from other rocks. It gets its red colour from iron oxide and the black colour from manganese oxide. Agate has been popular since ancient times, and to this day, many people believe that it promotes both strength and healing. The gem is believed to be a powerful emotional healer and balance emotions. Physically, Montana agate is predominantly useful for gum and tooth, stomach issues, physical stamina and restlessness!

The Seven Coloured Earths is a small region near the village of Chamarel plain in the Black River District of south-western Mauritius. It is a geological curiosity and a popular tourist attraction of Mauritius. This relatively small area of about 7,500 square meters has sand dunes of seven lovely colours like red, brown, green, violet, blue, purple and yellow. The sands were formed from the decomposition of volcanic rock gullies into clay that further transformed into ferralitic soil by total hydrolysis. The different shades of colour are believed to be a consequence of the molten volcanic rock cooling down at different external temperatures. The dunes never seem to erode, in spite of Mauritius' torrential rains!

Keukenhof is the one of the largest and most famous flower parks in the world and lies in the southwest of Amsterdam. Spring is the best time to visit this spectacular site. There are more than 7 million flower bulbs planted every year. There are gardens and four pavilions displaying an incredible collection of gorgeous Dutch tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, orchids, roses, irises, carnations, lilies and many other flowers in full bloom. Keukenhof has a different theme each year. This park attracts over a million visitors each year! The spectacle of colours and perfumes is overwhelming while the blaze of colour that envelops the park is a truly memorable sight!