Designing with Color Redux

As discussed before, Designing with Color is never more interesting than in 2017 given the variety of mediums available to the design team. In the ever growing and evolving world of stone, tile and glass the possible ways to bring color into any space are more abundant than ever. Given the broad topic at hand, let’s take a look at the emotional impact and cultural significance of designing with eleven fundamental colors in Part Two of this two part post.

Violet – In violet we have the epitome of a spiritual color value, and the mood has an inherent essence of luxury and quality. Culturally, violet represents faith, fasting, patience and penance in the Christian community. It is also very generally accepted as a royal color tone.

Orange – Orange promotes a mood of physical comfort inspired by an assumed feeling of abundance and security. Culturally, orange is the color of strength and endurance, fire and flame in Christendom. The entry to every Shinto shrine will have a Vermillion variation on orange.

White – As a mood, white reigns supreme for all things hygienic, sterile and pure. Conversely, it also sets a standard for aloofness and distance. Culturally, in Hinduism, white symbolizes the highest of the castes and in the Christian world the purest of the pure and holiest of holies.

Pink – The mood of pink is that of a positive color inspiring physical tranquility and in some ways essential femininity. Culturally, this is a color of happiness and joy in Catholicism. In Buddhism, the Pink Lotus is held in the highest symbolic esteem.

Gray – The mood of gray is that of a psychological neutral that can nevertheless still portend a sense of depression. Culturally, gray is uniquely the color of ashes and all that implies. However, its silver derivative in ancient Judaism signified moral innocence.

This is the last five colors that we have. Particular thanks are in order to the almost legendary work of Angela Wright on all aspects of color psychology. Her work can be found at www.colour-affects.co.uk.

Thanks for reading.