color in a beige world

i love color. i truly do. so it only seems appropriate for me to not just discuss how color makes us feel, but how it makes everything look and how it can brighten any room or decor!

i have always incorporated color into my home some way or another. and as i got older, i added more and more within my surroundings. it made me happy. it filled my world with bright, beautiful vibrant colors all around me. i have always believed that color can affect a person's mood or their overall personality when they're surrounded by it daily. color isn't just a visual mood, it's an emotional one, as well.

what we don't understand is, bright colors in the home aren't just for a childs room, but it can be ideal for the entire home as well. do you ever notice when you go into a home that is filled with beige walls and taupe upholstery, how it doesn't project the same feeling that it does when you walk into a colorful child's room? there's a reason for that. not just because there are toys strewn about, but because of the array of bright colors permeating throughout. it's a feeling that i cannot explain, but always like to convey visually.

you just know.

i admit, since i studied color theory in college, i am a bit biased on the subject, but i truly believe if everybody assimilated some splash of color into their home or office environment, not only would their frame of mind feel transformed, but their overall attitude would as well.

the use of color in your personal habitat can definitely bring a sense of sublime, and not just on an emotional level. as an artist, i have always been a firm believer in creating the type of surroundings that not only make you feel at home and at ease, but comfort.

which leaves me to ask—why don't the majority of people add more color to their interior environment? is it the fear that it could be too bold or a fear of being too overwhelming? or simply put, they don't know how? regardless of what the reasons are, give it a try—if not splashes of color here and there with maybe a colored vase, a colorful chair or ottoman, a small area rug—regardless of what you choose to add that little bit of bright to your life, color that you might not normally appreciate, can make a huge difference to your beige decor. even if white is your decorative hue of choice, adding a splash of color can brighten any room from afar.

so please, add some color into your life. you'll be happy you did.

pantone rubik's cube - color matching for nerds

fusion by wet water basin

it's all in the package

as a graphic designer, i am frequently approached about my taste and opinion on specific things in life—color scheme, layout, where should i hang that picture—the list can be endless. but one thing i am never asked is how do i choose a specific product for my home. i'm sure it's under the assumption like the rest of society, that how we choose our favorite product is strictly based on its use which is suitable to each individual's needs.

unfortunately, this is where i differ from the average consumer. i am a little more choosy when it comes to picking my everyday household products, such as shampoo, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste—the possibilities are infinite. how i look at this dilemma is simple—if it looks good out in the open, i'll buy it. regardless of what i choose, the packaging is a huge contributing factor to my ultimate decision. i will even go as far as paying more for a product, as long as the packaging is "cool" and has the right look in my home. to most, this is a foolhardy approach when purchasing an everyday product such as tampons, but for myself—the quintessential artist and designer—i am much more particular.

there are reasons why the product companies go to such lengths to hire expensive—sometimes aloof—advertising agencies to design their next cool package. because they are in search of the few picky consumers like myself, only to fall prey to their beautiful, modern packaging in hopes of owning such a “masterpiece.” considering within each store, there is an overabundance of products to choose from. how does one choose? what better way than with cool packaging to “jump out” at the consumer.

as we know, this is the ultimate goal of a particular product and its advertising affiliates. but the majority of consumers don't care about how the package looks, but simply, how it works. i would say that advertising execs would refer to me as their "ideal consumer." going shopping in search of that ‘perfect’ bottle or box. intoxicated by the superfluous of bright colors on the shelves, looking out at me, wishing i would pick it up, if only for a moment, to appreciate and enjoy.

i immediately place it into my shopping cart beaming as i am en route to the cashier. i have—albeit momentarily—fulfilled my goal.

at times, i admit that occasionally i will have to bend my rules and purchase a plain and simple bathroom cleaner or deodorant, perhaps something a bit more user-friendly, if only for practical purposes. i assure you, they will be hidden out of sight with the rest of the ‘packaging rejects’ to not take away from my bright, polychromatic loft.

pantone colored buttons

innisfree

method mop by target

lisa & chad wine bottles

student project: erica hill

six fruit drink

student project: erica hill

spectrum art supply line

mugo mp3 player

designed by aaron atchison of feed the beast

cravendale milk

french rabbit wine