2013 Spring-Summer Colors

There are numerous happy colors for this 2013 spring. If you are ready to shop, you have various options.
 

There is a sense of balance for the theme of spring-summer 2013. Colors have an expression of balance, and you can use it as self- expression.
 

This spring-summer we have neutrals,  brights and darks, with Pantone's year’s favorite: emerald green. There are other colors that Pantone site is listing, all with catchy names: Grayed Jade, Dusk, Linen-Nude, African Violet, Nectarine, Poppy Red, Lemon Zest and Tender Shots.

Below, find my design, an Emerald color high-low hemmed dress, with a Linen-Peach lining and an African Violet color under-layer. What do you think about using these three colors together?

 



More Color - Neutral Colors

 

 

Black, white and gray do not appear on the color wheel because they are not technically colors.  They are neutrals.  Brown is not found on the color wheel, but is made by combining any two complementary colors.  Neutral colors include monochromatic, monotone, and achromatic color schemes.  Achromatic neutrals are black, white, and gray only. 

Did you know that …

·        All neutral color schemes suggest calmness and can be very successful.

·        Neutral schemes are considered easy and safe but be careful that they don’t become dull and boring.

·        Neutral Plus is a good alternative to all neutral – A scheme that introduces one or more strongly chromatic hues in limited areas.

Who doesn’t love black?  Black…

·      suggests sophistication, elegance, dignity, wordliness, and mystery

·      is the color of authority and power

·      suggests formality (think black tie)

·      Is the color of mystery

·      Is a symbol of grief

 

While most of us love wearing black, use black sparingly in decorating.  It’s a great accent color.

Love white?  White…

·         indicates purity, innocence, cleanliness, youth

·         lends a sense of calm to a space

Here are a couple of tips when using white in decorating:

·         White looks good in a room that is enhanced by good natural light.

·         Choose warm creamy whites instead of stark whites.

Did you know that gray…

·         lacks assertiveness, but suggests intelligence, guarded behavior, a sense of discipline

·         is the color of aging as in “the graying of America”

·         is associated with wisdom

·         can seem chilling and impersonal

·        Gray’s energy imparts void, emptiness, lack of movement, emotion, warmth and identifying characteristics

Did you know that more men prefer brown than women?  Brown…

·         Is relaxing and easy to live with

·         associated with nature

·         conveys warmth and comfort

·         is solid and reliable, suggests stability

·         denotes masculine qualities

·         is the color of earth and abundant in nature

So next time you are faced with a decision concerning color, whether what you are to wear or what color to paint your room, remember that color influences the mind as it does the body.  Color works magic by communicating with our emotions. Color has the power to inspire, energize, soothe, and enliven.

Until next time...

 

More color - the secondary colors

 

Today’s blog will discuss the meaning of purple (violet), green, and orange.  These are called secondary colors.  Remember from elementary school how you made these colors from the primary colors? 

Red + yellow = orange

Blue + red = purple (violet)

Yellow + blue = green

Did you know that green…

·         is a peaceful color

·         symbolizes nature

·         confers a sense of relaxation and comfort

·         represents health and prosperity

·         is the most well-liked color and the easiest color for the eye to see

·         suggests balance, harmony, growth, birth, wealth, compassion and security.

Did you know that purple…

·         contains elements of surprise and magic

·         represents royalty

·         suggests romance, imagination, passion

·         suppresses appetite

·         is a feminine color; most little girls (and some big ones) love purple

·         is an artistic color

·         is a good choice for children’s rooms

Did you know that orange…

·         shares qualities of reds

·         is friendly, cheerful, happy

·         acts as an antidepressant

·         is energetic

·         Share qualities of reds

Until next time...

 

The Meaning of Color

Today’s blog will discuss the meaning of red, blue, and yellow, otherwise known as the primary colors.

RED

Did you know that red…

·         stimulates the appetite

·         raises blood pressure

·         stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing 

·         attract attention, creates excitement, takes control

·         is forceful, bold, extreme, aggressive

·         is a good accent color

Red is a good choice for dining rooms.  Use it sparingly in decorating  or you may not be able to relax!

BLUE

Did you know that blue…

·         is associated with fashion trends

·         is a symbol of trust and longevity

·         is refreshing, soothing, calm, dependable

·         causes the body to produce calming chemicals

·         slows metabolism, lowers blood pressure

·         decreases heartburn and indigestion

·         is the most popular color in the U.S.

·         can be perceived as depressing and gloomy if overused

  

Blue is a good choice for the bedroom but not so good for dining rooms unless you want to lose weight!

YELLOW

Did you know that yellow…

·         is an attention getter

·         stimulates the memory

·         is optimistic and cheerful

·         speeds metabolism

·         aids digestion, stimulates circulation, frustration, and caution

·         people lose their temper more often in yellow rooms; babies cry more

Use yellow sparingly in children’s rooms unless you want to hear them cry!

Tomorrow I’ll talk about the meaning of the secondary colors.

Until then…

 

 

More color...

     Since we cannot talk about fashion without using color, here is a window display project based on the color wheel. This was a project that my visual merchandising students loved doing it.  They had to pick one color scheme based on the color wheel and set up a window display.

     A popular choice was the triad, which is made out of three hues equidistant form each other on the color wheel. The triad is popular because is more playful than complimentary color schemes and more exciting than monochromatic ones. In our case: orange, purple and green, three powerful secondary colors. Here is the picture:

The monochromatic display is still playful, and the one below has the focus on tints and shades of yellow.

      Next time when you pass a window display, see if you can guess the theme behind it. Can you guess the pattern? Can you see the color relationships?