Have you notice that blues are quite bountiful this year? We are starting to see a whole range of blues ranging from pale soft blues like Benjamin Moore’s Palladian Blue HC-144 to darker grey based navy’s like their popular Hale Navy HC-154.
In CNN's December 4 2019 article Pantone chooses a classic for it's 2020 Color Of The Year, the article indicates that with the selection of Classic Blue there is an "Aligning with the growing emphasis on health, foods and beverages that are similar in color to Classic Blue are rich in anthocyanins that are thought to bolster the body's defense against ailments from cardiovascular disease to cancer cell proliferation."
As with all colours, there are emotional, physiological, and psychological roles that a colour will play in our lives. Since we are going to be seeing a lot more of the colour blue this year, let’s get to know all sides of the colour blues personality and explore the colour in a bit more detail!
Blue is a colour that has long been associated with trust, responsibility, honesty, and loyalty. It perceived as sincere, reserved, and quiet. From a color psychology perspective, it is seen as reliable and responsible.
For living and work spaces it creates the feeling of order and direction, peace and tranquility. Because it is a cool colour it promotes both physical and mental relaxation, ut more so in it’s lighter form.
Blues have always been known to reduces stress and create a calm and relaxing environment. Even looking at a bright blue sky will create a sense of calm and lift our spirits.
The colour blue can actually have a physiological effect on our bodies and slows the metabolism. Scientific studies have shown subjects place in a blue room can have a reduce body temperature over subjects placed in a red room!
There are often meanings associated with colors and the colour blue relates communication, especially communication using the voice and speaking the truth. This brings to mind the expression we often use “True blue.”
The color blue is perceived as idealistic and inspiring higher ideals and a higher level of intelligence. Blue is also a spiritual colour and often associated with devotion and religious study. It enhances meditation and prayer but can also devotion to family or work. As early as the 5th century we began to see blue being used in artwork as an association with the Virgin Mary. Deeply rooted in Catholic symbolism, the blue of her cloak has been interpreted to represent the Virgin's purity, symbolize the skies, and label her as an empress, as blue was associated with Byzantine royalty.
Blue is a conservative and predictable colour and thought of as safe and non-threatening. Of all the colours know to man blue is the most universally liked color of all!
Did you know that in the early part of the 20th Century blue was a colour that was associated with girls and that pink was the colour associated with boys? In the Business Insider article “Pink used to be a boy's colour and blue a girl's – here's why it all changed.” colour expert Gavin Evans explains "This was advice that was very widely dispensed with and there were some reasons for this. Blue in parts of Europe, at least, had long been associated as a feminine colour because of the supposed colour of the Virgin Mary’s outfit."
Word Association
In many societies colours have particular words or meanings associated with them, both positive and negative. Interestingly you will find that one colour will often have oppisite associations as in the example below blue can be associated as both loyal and unfaithful!
Positive Words Associated with The Colour Blue
Loyalty, trust, integrity, tactful, reliability, responsibility, conservatism, perseverance, caring, concern, idealistic, orderly, authority, devotion, contemplation, peaceful, calm.I
Negative Words Associated with The Colour Blue
Rigid, deceitful, spiteful, depressed, sad, passive, self-righteous, superstitious, emotionally unstable, too conservative, old-fashioned, predictable, weak, unforgiving, aloof, frigid, manipulation, unfaithfulness, being untrustworthy.
Do you want to send a message without saying a word? Below are a few common representations of the colour blue:
Communication: Blue relates to one-to-one verbal communication and self expression.
Peace/calm: The color blue induces calm and peace within us, particularly the deeper shades.
Honesty: Blue is the colour of truth.
Authority: The darker the color blue, the more authority it has.
Religion: Blue is the colour of devotion and religious study.
Wisdom: Blue enhances the wisdom of the intellect.
This is just a small glimpse into the multi-personality colour blue. If you are like 29% percent of the population surveyed who identify their favourite colour as blue, then this is your year. Blue lovers unite and enjoy!
In a world full of beauty….
Gail K Allen
Interior Design Consultant
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