Color Your World
Wherever you go, you are surrounded by color… colors that invigorate, harmonize or relax. Color is splashed around you and affects your life in so many ways. There are colors associated with a particular holiday, like Easter or Christmas that immediately remind you of wonderful times shared with loved ones. Other colors evoke visions of natural elements such as the sun, ocean, grass, or roses. Each color stimulates a different response within you. Once you experiment with how color affects your energy, you’ll be able to make powerful choices to influence your life in a positive way.
Each color invokes a different mood and causes an immediate effect on your energy. Blues remind us of the sky and ocean, thereby creating calm and imagination. Green reminds us of nature and gardens, therefore very healing. Red is the color for passion, fame and love. We see color everywhere—in streets, outdoor markets, fruits and vegetables, fabrics, buildings and flowers. In fact, flowers are a wonderful way to bring color and energy into your home. The vibrant hue of the petals can shower a room with radiance and introduce enlivening accents.
In feng shui, there are specific colors recommended for certain types of rooms as well as ones that represent different life aspirations. Gold is regal. Red is fiery. Yellow is cheerful. Most importantly, pink opens your heart. Yellow works well in the kitchen since it represents the sun and the sun feeds us with energy. Green is easy on the eyes because it surrounds us in nature. It is wonderful for rooms in which you spend a great deal of time such as the dining room and the living room. Because blue is calming and peaceful, it works well for the bedroom.
One of the fastest ways to transform a room with color is to paint one or more of the walls. It can create serenity in a bedroom or give an office a jolt of energy. Keep in mind that soft, neutral colors make a small room look larger while a darker color can create a sense of protection or coziness. Painting a small room dark blue may feel a bit claustrophobic. It’s better to paint it a lighter shade and add a few dark accents.
Before you make a commitment to paint your walls a specific color, test the color on a small piece of wood and walk around the room with it. Live with it for a while to see how it affects you. Colors will look different in natural as opposed to artificial light, so experiment with them during the day and at night. Allow your heart to assist you in choosing colors you love and spread them throughout your home in rugs, pillows, furniture, art, candles, pottery, dishes, bedding, and drapery.
It might be enjoyable to go to the farmers market and look at all the colors of the fruit and veggies. Which ones call out your name? Which ones make you happy? Ultimately, you want to choose colors that elevate your mood and enhance your energy. Have fun with it!