We have all been living through an incredible time during the pandemic. As a result, our collective “normal” has changed. The focus of our lives has become less about “where we can we go” and more about “what we can do” to create something new or fun in our individual lives. Many Canadians are looking to bring order and beauty into their homes.
For the past year, many of us have taken home organization, culling and repurposing possessions, creating new workspaces and elevating decor to lift our spirits to a new level. How we use our homes, how we look at the same four walls and how we want to live has risen to the top of our to-do lists. And we’re considering everything – including the use of colour in our living spaces. Colour is having a comeback moment, and I couldn’t be happier.
Colour has a way of changing our lives. No joke
As a designer and colour consultant, I used to apply my colour skills mainly for children’s spaces – because kids love colour. However, I now see most of my residential and commercial projects include a voracious appetite for pigment. People have opened up to what I have long preached: Colour has a way of changing our lives. No joke. Prismatically, our moods and outlooks are significantly impacted by what we surround ourselves with, and colour is one of the most critical influences.
Colour has been my thing since I was a child. Today, I am still deeply attached to the spectrum, and I read a lot about the psychology of colour. My work as a designer and colour consultant means more than just ascetically shifting and physically transforming things. It’s something more profound; colour is a personal form of communication. It can cause reactions and change your actions. The Russian (colourful) artist Wassily Kandinsky once said: “Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” It really highlights just how powerful colour is.
More than ever, we need to embrace positive changes that are easy to make. Whether that’s painting your toenails or walls all violet and pink, just go for it! As we round the corner on these difficult times, we can come out of our comfort zone a bit. Have a little more fun. Maybe, with these simple additions of colour, we catch on to why children are more joyful. Their spaces are typically teeming with colour!
Here are some simple tips for adding colour to your life even if you are the staunchest supporter of a neutral palette:
- Paint your nails a colour you would typically never select
- Buy a snappy coloured phone case
- Play with watercolour paints – and hang your artwork
- Add colourful flowers in all the primary living spaces in your home
- Grab some throw pillows for your sofa in a colour you love, and see how it spruces up the room. What else could you add in that colour family to the room afterward
- Try a colourful area rug or hallway runner
- Paint your bedroom ceiling a calming colour.
- Buy your next small appliance in a cheery colour
- For the more adventurous, paint your front door a happy-making colour. It will make you smile every time you come home
Tiffany Pratt is a Toronto-based multi-disciplinary designer. She supports corporate clients and the public on projects ranging from creative direction, product design, interiors, colour consultation and personal styling. Often referred to as The Queen of Colour, Pratt has an unmistakable, standout style. Learn more about Pratt and her colour consulting services at tiffanypratt.com/reno-decor