Monday, July 19, 2010

Chromophobia - fear of color!

First things first....a big thank you to Sharon of The Key Bunch for featuring my home on her blog! I am deeply appreciative! Gracias!

Ok, now back to business....do you have chromophobia, in other words, does color scare you? Does the thought of a deep pink, or a sunburnt brown or a fiery orange on your wall freak you out? Do you flip through magazines and come across pictures of colorful rooms that take your breath away, but hesitate to pick up the brush to paint your own walls? Do you pore over paint chips at the home store with every intention of coming home with a gallon of that gorgeous color you envisioned, but then chicken out at the last minute and buy a can of "dove white"???? I know this is starting to sound like a medical questionnaire (do you have diabetes, heart condition, epilepsy etc) , but if you answered yes to any of them, then read this to get over the phobia and bring some color into your lives by way of paint!

I know I must have said this a gazillion times before but, paint is the most inexpensive and non-commiting way to bring color into a room. Why? Because, if you don't like it, you just paint over it. Sometimes I think I was put on this earth to convey just this one message - COLOR YOUR WALLS PEOPLE!!! Using color offers a wonderful opportunity to set a mood. Although what one person considers calming or energizing can certainly differ, there are loose guidelines that can be helpful. Cool colors are calming, warm colors energising and so on. We all know what those are so I won't go into them.

So use your home as your canvas and unleash your creativity! You are qualified to choose your own paint colors according to what you love! Do what makes you feel good, and you will always be satisfied! Using paint in your home is artistic and personal. Concern about the opinions of others is a roadblock to loving your paint choices. Although it does feel good to have your friends and family compliment your decorating, your motivation has to be making your home more the way you want it. Paint colors are not deadly serious--they can be changed if necessary. Nor are they forever--you are entitled to change colors when you are ready for something different.
Painting gives you the power to rehabilitate your walls, to focus attention on the things you love, and to give your room the feeling you desire. Above all, painting allows you to explore what makes you happy and bring your decorating vision to life. You can do it--enjoy!

Take a look at what the owners of this Italian apartment have done......imagine the bright cheery colors all around your house, what a colorful house, what a colorful happy life. Get inspired!







9 comments:

GB said...

ooh kamini, you know I love color, right? But I don't think I could carry off so much color......that said, it is a pretty apartment.

How about a post for us renters???

Kamini said...

GB..I agree, this is a bit over the top, however I do love it. Hmm...rentals are tough. You can try persuading the owner...I know some owners will agree. The owner of my son's apt in DC was convinced once she saw the paint samples...nothing too wild, just a deep brick red for one wall and a sage green for another. So you never know....even one colorful wall will make all the difference!

Anonymous said...

Oh.. I love to see colourful pics ilke this.. sooo soo inspiring.. However, I cant do all four walls in colour.. I have to dedicate my talent to one wall in the room.. in some way.. But Im forever inspired by people who paint walls or paint anything on walls...

So... way to go!! Lovely.. lovely post!

Rekha said...

I love to experiment with color but my DH doesn't. He won't risk taking chances inspite of being an architect and settles for whites and creams.

wordjunkie said...

ooh! spent an hour gazing at these pix.
Hi, came over from your lovely recipe at "They Draw..", and will definitely be back for more.

Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee(Mukherjee) said...

Nice colours Kamini....and you know I just loved colours!
A Gr8 post indeed :)

DADS10 said...

The fear of colour is actually Chromatophobia not Chromophobia (which is a pretty cool movie).

Monk..... said...

i most probably have acute form of chromophobia. Whenever i go for shopping specially clothes and when the shopkeeper shows one after another colours....with each passing minute my anxiety level sky rockets...Same thing happens when i watch television...i prefer watching black and white movies.....its becoming tougher and tougher each day as everything nowdays is becoming so colour sensitive......

Katharina said...

Upendra! I am a Design Student at Goldsmiths University London and currently work on a project about chromophobia. I desperately need to find out more about the emotional side of it and would like to get in touch with you and ask you some questions about it - only if you don't mind. It is so difficult to find people who suffer from this phobia. I hope you will read this. Please contact me at dt001kr@gold.ac.uk

Thank you so much!