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Autumn 2008
Autumn in New England- Learning About Color
 Summer color combinations reflect the leisure activities we love to do during the season. Swimming, boating, fishing and gardening invoke images of crisp, clean colors. Whether painting your interior or the outdoor “summer rooms” (patios, decks, yard furniture) palettes are sometimes soothing and tranquil, and sometimes more playful and lively.
Autumn colors are exploding here in New England. It’s the perfect time to talk about how to properly consider choosing colors or color combinations.
Most people, when presented with or surrounded by color, can understand its emotional impact. One of my goals is to shed some light on the science behind color in order to demonstrate the value of a properly trained color consultant. As you will read below, the informed choices color consultants make are not purely subjective.
The human reaction to a color or color combinations is both physiological and psychological. Color is not just a stimulus that we perceive “out there” in the external world. It is also a part of our inner world, or imagination. Green grass to a physicist is the phenomenon of chlorophyll absorbing all but green wavelengths. The physicist describes the sensory stimuli we perceive as color. Psychologically, a person may perceive green as marshes of lush sea grass blowing in the breeze.
Color serves a variety of important functions. For instance, it gives us signals (think red stop sign). It conveys symbolic messages (we associate red with blood). It is a characteristic feature or distinctive mark of individuals, groups; cultures (think saffron robes of Buddhist monks). It is a major factor in marketing. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Our response to color is not simply psychological. It is total, influencing us both psychologically and physiologically. We all have biological reactions to color that are out of our control (i.e., blue light cures jaundice in babies). Color has always played a role in the preservation and protection of all kinds of animals (think hummingbirds’ attraction to red). We also make conscious associations with colors; blue with sky, green with nature, red with revolution.
Color is the greatest stimulus we receive from the external world. Information coming from the outside world is changed into feelings, thoughts and actions. The cerebral cortex receives and interprets these sensory impulses. There is a relationship between the brain and the action of muscles and glands. This neuropsychological aspect involves just how much visual stimulation we can actually take.
 One of the most important roles of color is in architecture and design. The colors chosen for exteriors and interiors must support and reflect the function of the building; the living or working, relaxing or creating that happens within. Why? Because this is where humans must be able to comfortably spend the majority of their lifetimes. Because all of the powers and effects of color, described above, determine whether an environment will be warm or cold, friendly or forbidding, inspiring or boring.
With that said, I can make the point that the balance between unity and variety is the first and most important rule in the design of beneficial environments. Extreme unity leads to under stimulation, and extreme complexity leads to over stimulation.
An under-stimulating environment is monotonous or "neutral." But, the effects on its inhabitants are anything but neutral. These environments cause restlessness, irritation and difficulty in concentrating. It’s just too much unity without variation.
An over-stimulating environment is overdone in the sense that it is confusing and unpleasant, usually because there is too much visual pattern, too many colors, or high brightness. It can cause changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. It increases muscle tension, fatigue and distraction.
To achieve a balanced environment one must use his/her knowledge of relationships between harmony, contrast and values of color. The professional color consultant has a vast knowledge of the psychological, physiological, associative and evocative nature and power of color, as well as design principles to draw upon.
 Nowhere is it said that you must use a professional color consultant for your projects. Certainly, you can learn to make informed color choices. At least now you know the value of drawing upon professionals’ knowledge and know that they are out there, should you choose to hire one. You may even aspire to this kind of career, though it may seem daunting to embark on such a complicated scientific study of color and design.
The Creating Perfect Palettes course is a starting point where those of you interested in practical information about the use of color, and picking color combinations for interior design can begin. Without getting too technical, the course covers standard color terminology and basic scientific principals, such as the effect of certain kinds of light on paint colors (sunlight, fluorescent light, etc), and others. But Creating Perfect Palettes is less about theory than it is about putting knowledge to practical use in making good color choices.
Creating Perfect Palettes
Best Wishes,
--Bonnie |
