INDUSTRY NEWS - TAKING A “HUE” From Nature
Janice Lindsay Friday, June 01, 2012
Ever wondered why nature’s colour palettes never look wrong? Every hue looks perfect, no matter the season, no matter how intense. Nature’s greens are not for the faint of heart, but they all please and refresh us. Vivid floral landscapes, brilliant sunsets and the azure blue of a sunny day sky are all bold, yet beautiful. In fall, we find comfort in the spectacular hillsides blanketed in red, yellow and orange. Here’s how to take nature’s lessons home to your walls:
No matter how strong the colour, we tend to like it once we are used to it. We have had a few million years to get used to nature’s colours, so we are not taken aback by the intense chartreuse of spring, for example, or the deep, dark, glossy greens of summer. The shock of a new and unfamiliar colour should not be interpreted as dislike. Panic will abate if you give yourself time to adjust. It is part of the journey into a new colour experience and your courage will be rewarded.We enjoy bold colours close up and muted ones on a large scale. The challenge with paint is that we are biologically attracted to bold, clean, pretty paint chips, but we need to choose the more muted, less obvious versions for good-looking walls. This is particularly true of yellows and blues. The muddied and muted versions are more complex, more nuanced and more natural.There is no such thing as too much colour unless that colour is white. Avoid interrupting your colour palette with bits of white. There is very little white pigment in the natural world. Most of what appears white in nature is actually full-spectrum light (light that contains all colours) passing through clear cells.White is best used on its own in rooms filled with texture, sheen and natural elements. Replace white with greys and linen neutrals for a more natural palette – one that is full of colour, but never too colourful.Janice Lindsay is the owner of PINK color + design and a National Colour and Design Consultant for PPG Canada. To learn more, visit your local PPG Pittsburgh Paints dealer, or go to voiceofcolor.com