Why So Colorless?
I cannot tell you how many beige and grey houses I have been in, and how many white kitchens I have rescued. I walk in and swish my magic wand and et voila the colorless homes are beautiful, bright, and cheerful again. I am overwhelmed by how long this white and grey trend has lasted. What happened to the sunny bright, colorful world?
Color is known to have a significant impact on human beings. Have you met people on grey and gloomy days? Everybody is in a bad mood, and the same people would smile even if they stubbed their toe on a golden sunny afternoon. So, why is it that our homes are stricken with the dreary grey tones and lackluster whites from top to bottom. What happened to sunshine and the flowers of spring, the jewel tones, and the color in nature. Why are we subjecting ourselves to the apocalypse of a colorless world inside our homes?
Color can change our perception, alter our senses, make us emotional, etc. We are all familiar with the adages like power red, Monday blues, cheerful yellow, and purple rain (alright I know it has nothing to do with emotions, but you can’t fault me for quoting a little Prince.)
The point I am trying to make is homes with color are more memorable and have a stronger impact than the standard white, beige, and fifty shades of grey. Color can dramatically affect moods, feelings, and emotions. It’s a powerful communication tool to signal action and cause physiologic reactions.
When I say to you, “imagine a beautiful garden,” immediately green lush foliage with jewel-toned flowers in yellow, red, purple, and white comes to mind. When I say, “imagine a beautiful beach,” you imagine white sandy beaches with turquoise water and a golden sunset. You cannot envision these beautiful places without color and texture.
Colors interact with our memory, awaken feelings, and guide reason. They remind us of beautiful things like those yellow and orange rain boots we had as kids. Some colors might even irritate us, for example, when we see a blue sweater that was our ex-boyfriend’s favorite color.
I cannot tell you how many times I would hear from a client “No, I do not want green it reminds me of my uncle’s basement that smelled like cigarettes.” Or things like, “I grew up in a purple house, and for my space, I want something different.” Or, “My mom’s favorite color was yellow, and I would like to incorporate it into my space.” These clients have such a strong response to specific colors due to their memory of being surrounded by it at a critical juncture in their life. And whether these memories were positive or negative, they ended up forming their like and dislike for a particular color.
If you want to make your home bright and cheerful with wonderful colors, contact Swati Goorha Designs in New Jersey for all your interior design needs.
“Colors like features follow the changes of emotions”
- Pablo Picasso