Many of us have personal associations to color in our living spaces. It could be shades serenity or optimism. It’s simple to plug in to the power of color. It is a part of life that is ever-present. It can’t be escaped so why not make it work for you (rather than against you)?
Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. Even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. Today in the US, the following information about your favorite colors has been proven accurate:
1.
Black: It is the color of
authority and power. It is also stylish and timeless, and makes people appear
thinner. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Black outfits can
also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem evil such as Dracula
or Cruella De Vil.
“Colors are the smiles of nature.” (Leigh Hunt)
2.
Blue: It is a very
soothing hue that reminds of the sky and the sea. We can all use soothing
touches of it in our hectic lives. It will work well in any room where you long
to feel less stressed.
Be sure to stick with soft, muted blues. Tranquil blue causes
the body to produce calming chemicals. Fashion consultants recommend wearing
blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more
productive in blue rooms.
“Be
uniquely you: stand out, shine, [and] be colorful. The world needs your prismatic soul.” (Amy Leigh
Mercree)
3.
Brown: Solid, reliable brown
is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies
genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be
sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.
“If you're quiet, you're not living. You've got to be
noisy and colorful and lively.” (Mel Brooks)
4.
Green and yellow: Want to feel more
upbeat? Bring in the colors of sunshine and spring fields. Pale yellows are
ideal for children’s rooms. Paint just the ceiling to create a sunny feel.
Green is an especially good pick to brighten rooms with mostly neutral tones.
Toss two celadon-colored throw pillows on a taupe sofa.
Currently
the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest
color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color.
People waiting to appear on TV sit in green rooms to relax. Hospitals often use
green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to
symbolize fertility.
Dark
green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. People lose their tempers
more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. Yellow enhances
concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.
“Clouds come floating into my life
(no longer to carry rain or usher storm) but to add color to my sunset sky.”
(Rabindranath Tagore)
5.
Red and violet:These two stimulating
colors boost your energy level by causing your body to pump out more
adrenaline. These high-energy colors are especially good in home offices,
entryways, small sitting rooms, or staircases. (You may want to skip these
colors in the kitchen because energizing hues can boost your appetite.) If you
want to feel inspired but not wired, add just a touch here and there.
The
most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and
breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing makes the wearer appear
heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in
negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves (and
police). In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. The most romantic
color, pink, is more tranquilizing.
Sports
teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so
their opponents will lose energy. The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury,
wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. Because it is
rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.
“Matchy-matchy is not for me. I don't want things to be
too perfect. It's like pairing a matte top with a shiny skirt, so they play off
each other. I want there to be relationships with texture and color, and
sometimes it's more about the contrast that chimes.” (Peter Som)
6.
White: White reflects light
and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion
because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows
dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and
nurses wear white to imply sterility. Brides wear white to symbolize innocence
and purity.
“I
found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other
way (things I had no words for).” (Georgia O’Keeffe)
7.
Food colors:
While
blue is one of the most popular colors, it is one of the least appetizing. Blue
food is rare in nature. When humans searched for food, they learned to avoid
toxic or spoiled objects, which were often blue, black, or purple. Green,
brown, and red are the most popular food colors. Red is often used in
restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant.
“In our life there is a single color, as on an artist's
palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.” (Marc Chagall)
8.
The US flag: White stands for purity and innocence. Red represents
valor and hardiness while blue signifies justice, perseverance, and vigilance.
The stars represent the heavens and all the good that people strive for while
the stripes imitate the sun's rays.
“Of all God's gifts to the sighted man, color is
holiest, the most divine, the most solemn.” (John Ruskin)
“What I fear and desire most in this world is passion. I fear it
because it promises to be spontaneous, out of my control, unnamed, beyond my
reasonable self. I desire it because passion has color, like the landscape
before me. It is not pale. It is not neutral. It reveals the backside of the
heart.” (Terry Tempest
Williams) [i]
[i] Sources used:
· “Boost Your Mood with
Color” by Milena Damjanov
· “Color
Psychology” by David Johnson
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