I recently decided to decorate it. (What I'm doing doesn't qualify as redecorating, because when we moved in, I rushed to get my phone and computer up and running and get the office functioning as quickly as possible. No time for finer touches.
As with many great things, this project was born of necessity. My desk chair, having served me well for over fifteen years, had become an ergonomic nightmare. So on a recent trip to Ikea, I found myself a new one. With encouragement from my friend Jeanne, a talented graphic designer, I chose the red-orange chair over the dark blue.
That set off a chain of events. Before I left Ikea, I had a matching leather waste basket and some red stain to finish the frames around two new prints. I also decided to paint some of the trim in the office green. (A log home needs some diversionary color or the knots in the pine walls start to move.)
This is a long intro to what happened yesterday, which was that I decided to finish the job by making some cushions and pillows. Here's a picture of what I had completed by the end of the day.
In the past, I have stressed the importance of light to a person's sense of well-being, but I haven't directly mentioned color. If you've seen my quilts, however, you can deduce that pretty easily. I believe color is on a par with light for influencing and directing perspective, attitude, and mood.
Despite what some color theorists would say, I think each person reacts in a unique way to a particular color. Response to a color is not uniform. So it is important to study how each color affects you and use them accordingly. For example, red gives me a feeling of power and competence.
The impact of color on a person's mood cannot be underestimated nor overstated. I have friends who just love neutrals, and friends who love pastels, and I'm always struck by the sense of calm that goes with their color choices. But I also sense that people who are shy about color are also shy about living.
Having color around you stimulates your creativity, enhances your mood, gives you courage, changes your outlook. Dorothy didn't have ruby slippers for nothing.
So, if you're feeling depressed or merely wish to evoke a certain mood, try some color therapy. Unlike retail therapy, it doesn't have to be costly. A little paint or fabric will do. But forget the beige! Mood change calls for bright color. Try some red. Try some green.
Better still, make it vermilion and olive.
Copyright starfishdoc 2008
