By, Denise Turner, ASID, CID, CMG
“The garden of love is green without limit and yields many fruits other than sorrow or joy. Love is beyond either condition: without spring, without autumn, it is always fresh.” -Rumi
“The garden of love is green without limit and yields many fruits other than sorrow or joy. Love is beyond either condition: without spring, without autumn, it is always fresh.” -Rumi
GREEN is associated with: nature, balance, healing, spring, growth, love, peace, hope, and compassion for self and others. Kermit the Frog says it best: “It’s not easy being green!” The emotional pendulum for green’s response swings from highly pleasant to utter disgust. So why the extreme conflicting emotional responses? Here’s the possible reason. Of the 8 to 10 million colors discernible by the human eye, the widest range distinguishable is in the broad variety of greens.
Green was the first color to appear on the earth; it was necessary for human survival, from foraging for food to being able to spot predators lurking in the foliage. Rituals were centered on the green vegetation and the experience of the harvest.
Physiologically, greens slow down our heart rate. It’s a great color that not only brings nature indoors, but helps to calm us.
Yellow Green
Slimy green (chartreuse) conjures up all sorts of eerie or unpleasant emotions. Let’s face it, some of the creepiest things come in this color. From slithering snakes, to insects, to a sick child with a green runny nose, to being ill yourself, with a green complexion. Needless to say, yellow-green is not most people’s favorite color.
As my mentor and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute Leatrice Eiseman says, “Color is location, location, location!” In other words, from a design perspective, chartreuse is a fantastic color: in the right place and the right amount, it can add excitement to any color scheme. So don’t be afraid to use it.
Landscape Green
Mother Nature, the Master Colorist, painted more green on this earth than any other color. Many examples of green have very positive associations, from tree-lined hiking trails, to lush green forests, to happy Irish leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day.
Greens are so prevalent in nature that we never question them as a backdrop for other colors. We would never say, for instance, that green clashes with red roses, orange day lilies, or yellow daisies.
The same principle applies when using green for interiors. With the exception of in-your-face, neon-greens and yellow-greens, all other greens work perfectly in interiors. So if you’re ever in a dilemma of deciding what color to add to your interior, look in the green family. 9 times out of 10, you’ll find the color you’re looking for.
Studies have shown that green table tops (black jack table color) in casinos help to lighten moods. Red table tops were associated with disagreements and interruptions 31 percent of the time, compared to 27 percent of the time at tables with black table tops. Green table tops were associated with the lowest level of disagreement or irritation among players. The next time you visit a casino, notice the green blackjack and poker table tops, as well as the green poker dealer visors.
In contrast to red, green affects our perception of time, weight and length. Time appears to move more quickly in green spaces. Under green light, objects appear to be heavier and shorter.
Here’s some interesting green tid-bits!
Green is the “great harmonizer.” It balances colors and people. TV stations and theaters have “green rooms,” in which performers relax their eyes before facing the bright stage lights.
Have you ever wondered why some states have green emergency exit signs, while others have red ones? Simple! Green saves lives. Green, being the complementary color to red, AKA the color of “fire,” stands out more in a smoke filled burning building, which helps to save lives. Note: the international standard for safety signs was established in the early 1970s; however, depending on the state and city regulations, not all buildings in the U.S. are required to have green egress signage.
When London's Blackfriar Bridge was repainted from black to green, the city’s suicide rate dropped by 34%.
This full overview of the color spectrum will help you apply the best color for every occasion.
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