Chroma Home was born one day after a heavy storm in my neighborhood  . . . a double rainbow—the first I ever saw—appeared in the sky, right over our home. I had never seen such a big, vivid, clear color read of a rainbow, and the fact that it was double made the phenomenon quite exciting. My husband and I ran outside and danced in the rain like kids and snapped a couple of happy pictures with our phones, which I have to say did not do justice to the real experience!

The size and the intensity of the rainbow right in my eyes spoke to me so much, and reminded me how the use of color reflects my love for art and design in my projects. It became clear that ‘Chroma,’ which stands for color in my native Greek, is part of my being, and I seek it in every project in the form of art, furniture, textiles, art, walls and anything in between that makes a space HOME.

I now recognize that Chroma Home will be my new focus, my personal gender in design, and a concept not taken for granted as I morph interiors into ‘everyday gateways’.

Color Speaks . . .

We humans all have an emotional response to color consciously or unconsciously. It is amazing how many choices we make daily responding to our preferences in color, something that all marketing and media industries know well as they present their ideas and products accordingly.

How many times have you bought something instead of something else, only because of the appealing packaging and color? Or preferred something to wear versus something else because of color? The list can go on, but ultimately color leads us to a number of unconscious decisions because it has the power to speak.

What does color have to say? Of course different people may give different meanings to colors than others, but often people agree on certain things about the language of color. We are going to explore  some positive aspects of a few colors (there are negative aspects, too), so let’s take a look:

RED

Apparently there is an immediate response to our brain when we see the color red, as it releases a hormone called epinephrine that stimulates attention. Red symbolizes passion, love and excitement. It has an energy of quickening and rushing. So if things are stagnant and dull, red is the color to promote motivation and action. In Feng Shui, red symbolizes courage, wealth and fame, and in Sanskrit red is the color of the Root Chakra.

ORANGE

Orange is another color that seems to have an influence in our emotional and physical body. Often you will see it on food packaging, restaurant logos, billboard signs, magazines, as it has a ‘go ahead’ energy . . . . Orange is the only color that takes its name from an actual thing, which is the orange fruit, and it appears to ‘contain’ warmth, vibrance, and enthusiasm. Orange is also associated with the season of Fall as it pervades in pumpkins and the fallen leaves in all orange hues. In Feng Shui, orange symbolizes captivation, exuberance and joy. In Sanskrit orange is the color of the Sacral Chakra.

PINK

Pink has feminine attributes and it has a gentle and romantic nature. It is often soft and delicate, and sometimes can be vivid and vibrant which promotes an uplift. It is a tender, ‘loving’ color. Pink gemstones are believed to bring about serenity, relaxation,  and acceptance, and as well to neutralize disorder or soften frustration. One of my favorite crystals is the pink Rose Quartz which symbolizes unconditional Love and friendship.

YELLOW

When I think yellow the first thing in mind is sunny, bright days and a handful of gold! Yellow stands for happiness, optimism and joy. I have this memory of the yellow in lemon trees, as they are everywhere in Greece . . . .  Yellow helps with focusing and concentration and in Feng Shui is considered the color of inspiration and self worth. In Sanskrit it is the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra. Yellow also encourages communication, enhances vision, builds confidence, and stimulates the nervous system.

GREEN

Green is the color that lives in anything planted, as it is the immediate reference to Nature and foliage of any sort. It also stands, at least here in America, for money and in many cultures for good luck. In Feng Shui green is the color of health, harmony and growth and in Sanskrit the color of the Heart Chakra.

BLUE

Blue is the mega-color embracing the earth as it is the color of sky, ocean and most water surfaces that surround us one way or another. Blue in most of its hues is refreshing and we often use it in design to give a soothing, calming effect. Blue has also the energy of peace, cleanliness, and tranquility. In Feng Shui it also symbolizes intelligence and compassion and in Sanskrit represents the Throat Chakra.

PURPLE

There is a mystery and nobility attached to the color purple and it has the essence of royalty and luxury. Purple is also considered as the color of spirituality and intuition. Although infrequently seen in nature, we find purple in many families of beautiful flowers. In Feng Shui it also represents devotion and awareness and in Sanskrit represents the Third Eye Chakra. Purple or violet crystals are believed to increase your imagination, remove perceived spiritual obstacles, calm confrontations, and re-energize the learning of new things.

BROWN

Brown gives the feeling of comfort and stability and has that ‘down-to-earth’ energy. Many times people relate it to coffee and chocolate and thus it can be interpreted as energizing and delicious. Overall, brown stands for home, warmth and stability. Brown provides a feeling of organization, history, and connection, as well as cozy feelings of relaxation.

WHITE

White feels airy and light as we see it spreading in clouds and in images of angel wings. It is associated with purity and innocence and stands for benevolence, grace and honesty. White is also the color of honesty and truth. It is the number one bridal color in Western cultures and in death for Eastern cultures and represents the Crown Chakra.

BLACK

Black appears to be the absence of any color. It has a formality and strength, giving a feeling of powerfulness. Black has a sophistication and elegance of its own, yet often reads as mysterious and endless. Black is a visually slimming color for clothing, and like other dark colors in interior design, it can make a room appear to shrink in size.

These are the primary and most used color bases that other colors come from, but the list can go on, as there are many hues, shades, tints and depths of one color. For now, we know some of the ideas several colors present and hopefully we can be inspired for the right color choice on the next design project. If you want to know more, here are some good resources about the meaning of color:Our lives are saturated by color. We live in a world of vivid colors, and color marks our psychological and social existence. But for all color’s inescapability, we don’t know much about it. Now authors David Scott Kastan and Stephen Farthing offer a fresh and imaginative exploration of one of the most intriguing and least understood aspects of everyday experience.

The phenomenon of color is examined in extraordinary new ways in John Gage’s latest book. His pioneering study is informed by the conviction that color is a contingent, historical occurrence whose meaning, like language, lies in the particular contexts in which it is experienced and interpreted.

I can talk endlessly about color. . . It is fascinating to me! I hope you enjoy knowing about it as I do!

Cheers,