Blue Is Important...

By Denise Turner, ASID, CID, CMG

“Cobalt is a divine color and there is nothing so beautiful for putting atmosphere around things” -Vincent Van Gogh 

BLUE is associated with: water, sky, mystery, purity, heaven, loyalty, trust, tranquility, 

self-expression, contemplation

Blue is practically everyone’s favorite color, and it’s no longer just for little boys and men. Blue is embraced as the color of heaven and authority. It’s nature’s color for water and sky, but is rarely found in fruits and vegetables. It is cold, wet, and slow in contrast to red’s warmth, fire, and intensity. 

Blue represents quality, durability, and authority—a good reason police and military uniforms come in this color. It is commonly used as companies' color branding to convey reliability and trustworthiness, hence the phrase "true blue.”

Although many colors hold religious symbolic meanings, blue is a non-denominational color. It carries the same meaning of love and mercy in Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and Hinduism.

Blue has more complexities and is more contradictory in its meanings than any other color. To better understand, let’s focus on the specific shades of blue.

Dark blue: trust, dignity, intelligence, authority

Bright blue: cleanliness, strength, dependability, coolness

Connotations: Qualities of the ocean and inland waters

Light blue: sky, peace, serenity, ethereal, spirituality, infinity 

Connotations: Intangible aspects of the sky 

Blue has a calming power—particularly shades of sky blue. Use this light and restorative hue to create a truly relaxing space. In his book Four Color Person, Swiss psychologist Dr. Max Luscher states: “Just sit down in front of a dark blue color and see what kind of mood it will present to you. You will feel a motionless calm, a relaxed satisfaction, an endless sense of harmony and containment will come over you.”

The ancient Egyptians used the blue lapis lazuli stone to dye the cloaks of royals and priests, signaling their status as gods. We still see these rich celestial hues as regal and somehow exotic, so they work beautifully on feature walls or in small spaces, such as powder rooms.

Physiologically, viewing blue reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate, creating an overall calming effect. Blue has also been shown to reduce headache symptoms and nervous disorders. For instance, studies have shown that exposure to the color red may trigger seizures in individuals with epilepsy. Blue glasses filter out red’s long wavelength radiation.

Edwin Babbitt, stated in his 1878 work, The Principles of Color Therapy, that "the blue ray is one of the greatest antiseptics in the world." It is believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain. 

Blue also affects our vision. It is sharply refracted by the eyes. As a receding color, blue causes the eye lens to flatten and pushes the blue image back. As a result, the blue areas are perceived as being smaller. If blue is used excessively in interior spaces, the same refraction may cause visual fog. When used in small or windowless spaces, on the other hand, blue has been shown to to alleviate symptoms of claustrophobia. Simply painting the ceiling blue, or installing sky lights, can soothe minds into envisioning being in the vast outdoors. 

Research has also shown that people tend to be more productive in blue rooms. In 2009, a study by the University of British Columbia showed that blue increases our ability to think creatively, and that children tested higher on IQ tests in rooms with blue ceilings. 

Downside: Blue-gray is known to encourage depression. If you or someone in your home struggles with depressive tendencies, consider a warmer based blue and accent with warmer colors. 

This full overview of the color spectrum will help you apply the best color for every occasion.


Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

denise@Colorturners.com 

www.colorturners.com 

https://www.facebook.com/denise.turner.