No matter how you spell it, color is one of the most useful tools in the design toolbox. Our spaces are dominated by drywall surfaces which can be thought of as a blank canvas. A room can be dramatically transformed simply with some imagination and a fresh coat of paint. Color can set a powerful mood- be it joyful, energetic, sophisticated, somber, tranquil…

Have you ever chosen a paint sample, confident it is the perfect shade of the hundreds available…

bought a gallon,

brought it home,

started painting,

stood back (with hands on hips),

and swore the store mixed the wrong color?!

Colors have very specific connotations, cultural and historical meaning, and even political symbolism. They can have both positive and negative associations. The meaning and significance of color is reflected all around us, in our language, even our naming conventions: ‘go green,’ blue chip stock, fire engine red, etc. Colors take on new meaning depending on how they are used and in what combinations. Color is used functionally and has the power to elicit strong psychological and subconscious response. The use of a specific color in a dining room, for instance, can stimulate or suppress appetite.

see COLOR, COLOUR EVERYWHERE… part 2

Images courtesy of Sherwin Williams Paint Company. Reprinted with permission. http://tiny.cc/xrhrx

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