Thursday, March 25, 2010

True Colors

Good morning........

Today is sunny and cool, with rain and a mixed precipitation promised tonight and Friday. I love that Winter is hanging on - reminding us of its force and promising it will oh so slowly fade, reluctantly giving way to Spring with all of its birthing of blooms and colors and sweet aromas. Spring is like being forgiven and once again able to shake off the cold and feel warm and free and colorful.

I often think of my days in terms of color - I very much love gray days - their mystery, ominous hues and changing depth. My favorite color though is purple and second is green, softer like jade. Our bedroom is purple and green and our kitchen counters are jade with camel colored cabinets. We have shades of green in our living room with smatterings of honey colored wood and some purple throws and candles and accents. Our home is earthy with southwest Indian designs that are simple and natural. Our home allies with our 'true colors'.

For me purple is passionate, wise, sensual, deep, strong, mysterious, intended, purposeful, and protective.
and jade green is welcoming, calming, playful, contemplative, spiritual, loving, kind, honest, generous, faithful and relaxing.

Both colors are me, and us................... nice, huh? :-)

I have been to homes where their colors permeate their dwelling in negativity. I feel a harsh fear that is angry. I sense their discomfort and sharp edges. Some times my energy can soften the mood but it is a constant awareness and effort. And I have been in homes where the colors fill the air with hope and love, promise and truth and I blend and seep into every space easily. I am re-energized.

What are your true colors - what do people feel when they come in to your home? What are the colors and homes like of people in your world - positive? Negative? Even in blog-land the colors-energy is easily felt. So take a moment to think about your color(s) and how these colors "color" your world. And also how the people in your life and their colors and how you are affected. If you have never thought of how you feel around people or how others may feel around you in terms f color I think you may find the insight enlightening.






20 comments:

Finding Pam said...

Gail, you have such a lovely way to describe your colors. I am a visual person and color affects me on so many different levels.

My home is my respite and I want it to feel safe. I like natural woods. I do not like clutter though because I can't think in it.

Gail said...

HI PAM-

Yes, colors do impact us all so differntly. :-) I am so glad to hear that your home is a respite. Wonderful.

I understand about clutter - we have lots of 'stuff' but it is all quite in order and not cluttered. phew.

Love to you
Gail
peace.....

Jackie said...

I'm afraid my colors are rather mundane...The walls of our home are neutral in color...but I use art work to add splashes of color to the walls, etc.
I'm in the process of doing spring cleaning. You wouldn't believe the 'junk' I have (had)...It is bagged up and headed outa here!!!
Smiles to you from Jackie

Wanda..... said...

I think my home is peaceful with shades of green, soft blues, wine colors and touches of yellow, I like things to blend and flow, no one thing standing out too separately. At the same time, I don't like emptiness and want my memories and treasures on display neatly. The colors I wear afect me greatly, also!

Gail said...

HI WANDA-
Oh I am sure your home is filled with treasures, memories and a wonderful, peaceful blend of colors.

HI JACKIE-
Neutral-mundand? Nah - such space allows for creativity like you wrote about -= artwork for color and style. I love it.
And good luck with the Spring cleaning - we need to do the same. ugh.

Love to you both
Gail
peace.....

Bernie said...

I love colors that are fresh, clean and crisp. Like whites, creams, greens, pinks, burgandy and yes these are colors throughout my home......I love having special and warm memories around me but I don't like clutter in my home at all, doesn't bother me one bit if other people like clutter though.......:-) Hugs

Eileen said...

I was just thinking about how people see color, and I'm wondering if we all see it differently, and maybe that's why we have such an affinity for one color and can't understand why someone else would hate it. I mean, we can never see colors through another's eyes, so how do we know what they are actually seeing? Maybe my yellow is your black. How do we know if we see color the same? We can't go by description because we've been taught these descriptions from the time we were taught the names of the colors (yellow is bright, brown is drab, etc). I'm wondering if that's why some people choose to do their homes up in what I feel are dark, depressing colors, maybe those colors are bright and pretty in their eyes.
I always confuse my family with this conversation, but it's something I've always wondered about. They sit and shake their heads at me, but that's how my mind works.

Okay, on to the colors in my home, they are ever-changing. Our first apartment had lots of blue and white, then we moved onto more vibrant colors, colors that reminded me of the trees in the Fall, and then we had jewel colors for awhile, lots of green, red, and gold, then everything was very neutral for a long while, and now most of my house is a neutral palette but we just got new furniture for the living room, it is slip-covered furniture, and one set of slipcovers is blue denim (with yellow throw pillows), and the other set of slipcovers is plain tan (I was afraid to get away from that neutral color scheme totally. I would like to move on to more pastel colors, pale pinks and baby blues, but that would mean a major over-haul and I don't have the time, the energy, the ambition, or the funds anymore.)

I'm actually going to do a post one day on my new furniture and how my girls said to me, "Mom, it's nice, but it's just NOT YOU!"

I feel that our home is VERY relaxed and casual. And like you, my home is my haven.

Nice post, and I love the sound of both your color and your decorating scheme!
Love to you,
Eileen

Gail said...

HI EILEEN-

Oh my, I love your detailed comment. It is so true that color and it's effect is so unique and individual. I Love all of your color themes as you moved along your life. And I already knew how your home is safe, relaxed, and a haven.

Gail said...

HI BERNIE-

I love your color themes and preferences too. And I hear ya about the clutter - and yhet when other folks are cluttered I enjoy seeing it all - like a museum. :-)


Love to you
Gail'
peace.....

Mark said...

Gail,
This is an interesting post. Colors no doubt have an impact on the energy of a room or an object. Colors can be soothing or can cause anxiety. Take a look at a McDonald's, notice the bright reds and yellows. They are positive colors, inviting yet they are not colors that you want be around for too long, just like the chairs are very hard to sit on the colors are too much for too long. This is by design they don't want customers to linger, they make there money on volume of customers. Look at a Starbucks and it is quite the opposite, the colors are subdued and comforting and the furniture soft and inviting. Again this is by design, they want their customers to stay and buy another coffee or two. It is important that we are aware of the colors we use and how they impact us.

Unknown said...

Colors are a wonderful way of seeing things,
not in the harshness of black and white,
but in the soothing tones of color.
wonderful to share with us Gail
more color for you!

Margie said...

Hi Gail
I do love purple & also pink and wear those colors a lot.
I have my living room painted a soft yellow, it's like having the sushine in it!

Doing a remodel of my kitchen now and it's now painted a lovely taupe.
The sun shines brightly in my kitchen, it's one of my favorite rooms in my house and when we have the remodel finished, I'll never want to leave my gorgeous kitchem.

Hope you are feeling better now Gail.

Be well!
Be happy!

Margie :)

Gail said...

HI MARK-

That is quite interesting about how businesses use colors for certain outcomes. So nice to see you here.

HI WHITEMIST-JOEY

That was so nice of you to say that I am sharing more of the colors of my soul;. :-) Thanks Joey.

HI MARGIE-
I can oly imagine how loving and full of soothing colors your home is, just like you.

Love to you all
Gail
peace.....

Diana said...

Well I did leave a comment here a few days ago, really! I love all sorts of colors but my favorite has always been burgundy! Jake says if I had it my way the whole house would be burgundy! He's probably right! I love that in combination with yellow.
Love Di

Gail said...

HIDI-

Ya, yup- thrree comments got lost in bolg-twilight zone. And I can't remember the other two. oops,

and burgandy and yellow are lovely together. :-)

love you
Gail
peace.....

Shen said...

Hi Gail... I know I left a comment on here on Thursday night, but it isn't here. That's been happening on a few blogs, lately, for some reason. I don't remember what I said before, but I like the idea of using color in everyday ways to get a balance to the inner self - to balance the shakras.

I never could pick a favorite color. I love them all. I did a post about color around the same time as you posted this one... about thinking in color instead of black/white and a gray area in between.

cordieb said...

Hello Gail. Yes, colors can change our moods and can reflect our inner spirit. Your fav color, purple, also means regal. I can see the majestic side of you. My favorite colors are shades of pink and purple. Perhaps I was a queen in another life. :) I also love the color red.

What do colors mean?
http://dutchboy.com/colors/choose/meaning/meaning/index.jsp

Blessings, C.

Gail said...

HI SHEN

YA, three comments, you and 2 others did not publish when I clicked on publishthey disappeared. I understand completely about not having a favorite color though. and how nice that ew both posted abot color around the same time. :-)

HI CORDIEB
A queen indeed. :-) and regal huh - I will have to explore the meaning of that word more fully.

Love to you both
Gail
peace.....

Sniffles and Smiles said...

I adore color!!! And in fact have a variety of color throughout my home...but I suppose my favorites are dusty red and sage green...these are happy colors for me...Purple and green are so peaceful...I can see why you love them! Have a wonderful week!! Love to you and yours, Janine Xo

Gail said...

HI JANINE

dusty red and sage green -- oh my, how peaceful and soothing - I felt the calm blend immediately. You have a wonderful weekend too.

Love Gail
peace.....