Color Buzz

Dressing According to our Environment

By Michele Coppin

It’s fairly obvious that weather often dictates how we dress in a given environment (shorts in the summer, coats in the winter). However, I have observed that our clothes go even further to reflect our environment in color and design.

Take for example, people who live in the country. They are surrounded by the geometry of fields and the changing colors of crops. We often tend to see more earth tones and plaids.                                  

People living by the sea, in constant view of the horizon, are known to sport horizontal stripes and variations of blue.                                          

                  

And city dwellers, whose environment is broken up by the light and shadows of the buildings can typically be found in more blacks and whites.          

                     

Take a look as you venture around your neighborhood!

Creating a Color Scrapbook

By Michele Coppin

You may have seen my blog about the first assignment for my color theory class already. The second assignment is to create a “Color Scrapbook,” collecting appealing bits and pieces of color such as candy wrappers, photos, leaves, pebbles, fabrics…anything that grabs your attention.

As the collection grows, color preferences become visible. A style and palette develops. Students use their findings in collages, creating beautiful abstract compositions with color as the subject.

These precious little references also make decorating much easier, and can help you discover and develop your own personal palette. I encourage you to try it at home!

Here are some examples from my scrapbook: soft, serene variations of blue for a soothing, relaxing atmosphere.

                                                                               

Red, White and Blue

Fourth of July is a swell of activity in our town. The day starts off with Paul Revere riding through the streets warning us of the oncoming Brits. The children dress in patriotic costumes and the rest of us wave red, white and blue as classic cars and fire engines line up and parade down the main street. We have a ceremony with the naming of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a releasing of pigeons – one for each colony (Although I’m not sure how the Founding Fathers fit this into their own celebration). We have an afternoon of tournaments and pool games, and after all this we head up to the top of a hill where everyone gathers for a town-size picnic complete with games and fireworks. It’s a great event. Generations come back for it - my immediate family, my grandmother, mother, sisters and their families, cousins, etc., are all together. Everyone is in some version of our country’s colors. I always panic because I usually can’t wear them, but for the love of the 4^th and all that it stands for, who am I to not get out a red dress?

 

 

What do colors symbolize?

By Michele Coppin

Historically, mankind has given symbolic value to colors. As societies developed, colors came to represent different concepts and served multiple functions. They emphasized certain meanings within an image, indicated status, expressed identity, etc. Of course, these meanings are very different depending on the culture they belong to.

Here are some examples of the meanings of various colors from Western European societies.

White: From the birth of the new moon, often associated with birth, purity, cleanliness. Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity.

Black: Mourning, death, earth, seriousness, submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God.

Red: the most emotional color, red signifies passion and love. Hearts are always red, but red also symbolizes blood, fighting and ardor.

Yellow: Warmth, sun, happiness, gold. Yellow also symbolizes cowardice, betrayal and hatred.

Orange: Warmth, wealth.

Green: Calming and refreshing, it is the color of spring and youth. (Walt Disney dressed Peter Pan in green. As the little boy who wouldn’t grow up, the eternal youth wears a tunic reminiscent of foliage. Green also symbolizes envy. 

Blue: The color of the sky and the ocean. Blue symbolizes sincerity, loyalty, peacefulness and tranquility. Blue also connotes melancholy, sadness and isolation. Picasso’s “Blue Period” began shortly after he moved from Barcelona to Paris. He was poor, depressed and cold. From 1900 to 1904, he primarily painted thin, elongated figures in variations of blue. When his work began to sell and his spirits lifted, his palette shifted to Pink.   

The Tragedy, 1903
Picasso
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

Purple: The color of royalty. Purple connotes luxury, wealth, power and dignity.

In Antiquity, purple was derived from a rare sea snail so expensive (even more than gold), it became a symbol of royalty as only the very wealthy could afford it.

The Byzantine emperor Justinian I appears clad in a purple cape in this 6^th century mosaic from the San Vitale Basilica in  Ravenna, Italy.

In Celebration of Asian Heritage Month

Color is alive and rich throughout Asia. From the deep intense saffron robes of Buddhist monks to the soft nature driven colors of Japan. China is so closely identified with red, but there are also the whites and blues from the culture’s ancient porcelain. In southern Asia, the color really heats up with the gorgeous silks dyed in colors that put the rainbow to shame. Japan has drawn from the colors of the elements to create a sophisticated traditional palette, but in the past several decades, they’ve been serving up a fun and raucous color extravaganza through their pop culture. The colors were traditionally derived from spices, flowers, shells, minerals, and plants and animals of the region. The possibilities of incorporating an Asian-theme are truly endless! Have you done it?

Sunny Florida Shines with Color Palettes

This blog entry was written by Veronique Habermann and Michele Coppin

On an early, gray Saturday morning, we left New York for a well-deserved spring break. A few hours later, at the sunny Sarasota airport, we were surprisingly greeted by Jack Dowd’s colorful artwork – Andy 15 Times…a perfect beginning to our color inspired vacation.    

                     

Here we are, in beautiful Anna Maria Island. After a few days of relaxation and catching up on lost sleep, our passion for inspiring color combinations took over once again and we were off exploring the island on bicycles, with palettes in mind – on the look out for inspiration from Florida’s unique approach to color. Here are some examples of color schemes that inspired us:

                  

              Valspar Color Palette                          Pastel Delight Entrance
             Pink Whisper 1002-2C                                  Dove White
              Sheer Green 6007-78                         Pink Odyssey 1001-2B
                     Dove White                           Chairs-Whipped Peach 2002-2B
                                                                         Peach Kiss 2002-2C
                                                                           Lime Ice 6008-78

                                                

                   
                                                                      
                  Green House                                           Blue House
        Walls-Spring Lawn 6006-9C                      Walls-sea frolic 4008-10A
      Shutters-Lime Burst 6007-10B           Trim-Lyndhurst Celestial Blue 5003-9C
       Chairs-Blue Burst 4008-10 B                   Tin Roof-Dewdrop 4007 – 7A
                    Dove white                                            Dove White
Accent, Flowers – Frosty Berry 10030-1B  Accent, Flowers – Cosmic Pink 1001-1A

                      

 

Restoring Life to an Antique

Charlotte Millwater recently inherited a family heirloom that has been passed down for three generations.  This little dressing table may not be a valuable antique, but it is precious to the Millwaters.

At 14, Charlotte wanted her bedroom to reflect her personality, so we had to find way to make the antique relevant. Since she loves unique, bold colors, we wanted to amp up the color of the dressing table to make it pop in her room.  Knowing that Charlotte envisioned the dressing table in a green/blue color and that her walls were already painted in a warm, cheerful yellow, we suggested Valspar Bay Mist.

We painted the dressing table and lightly antiqued it to keep the aged look intact. By simply repainting the dressing table, we were able to restore life to an old piece of furniture that is sure to be enjoyed by Charlotte and the Millwater family for years to come.

                                             
                                             Bay Mist 5006-7C 

The History of Blue

Blue is an amazing color. During the Renaissance, blue was incredibly expensive. Michelangelo couldn’t even afford to buy his own supply of ultramarine blue. According to Victoria Finlay in her amazing book Color, he was unable to finish an alter piece without the color which he needed for the Virgin’s robes. The painting was never completed because Michelangelo ran out of time, waiting for a wealthy patron to come up with the money for the coveted color. At that time, and to this day for fine art paints, that particular color blue is made from the mineral Lapis Lazuli, mined primarily in Afghanistan. The mineral was very difficult to come by, making the color extremely valuable. Makes you rethink what it means to be blue.

When White Trim is Not the Answer

For so long now, many of us have turned to white for all of our trim needs.  No matter the color, décor or room, somehow white has managed to get on the trim. But with a little extra effort, you can choose colors that will further enhance what is already on your walls. Here, a friend of mine went with a great neutral grey/green – Valspar Milestone 6007-1B – to bring out the silver qualities in her wallcovering. A color like this allows the woodwork to play a larger role. The trim becomes more of an architectural element instead of just a space holder. You don’t have to simply “go up” the color sheet to the lighter tones, but you do have to find a color that will harmonize with your main color.

 

The Colors of 2008

   Marc by Marc Jacobs
        Sloane in Sun

In 2008 we will see more blues and yellows. Already in fashion, yellow is shining its sunny glow. From a fab new Marc by Marc Jacob’s bag to the pages of the J. Crew catalog, this bright color is catching on. One way to work well with yellow is to pick a bold bright tone such as Valspar Sunny Jonquil and frame it with neutral colors like Milestone 6007-1B and Cliveden Mist 6007-1A.

Pantone picked Blue Iris as the color of the year. Blue is both soothing and comforting but also can be rich and bold. A great color which delivers all these qualities is Ocean Sigh. For a gentler version, try Sea Tickle. One other color that is gaining raves is grey. It’s a gorgeous sophisticated color that also makes a nice complement to yellow. Try Filtered Shade with Honey Glaze.

            

                               
Sunny Jonquil 3010-1       Filtered Shade 4003-1B       Honey Glaze 3003-2A       

                                                             

                      Ocean Sigh 5002-10A         Sea Tickle 5005-7B