From Cheryl's Writing Crate
I recently embarked on a total color makeover for our
home. For the past two years I’ve
dreamed and planned of doing a Caribbean color scheme but just never seemed to
have enough time in my crazy schedule to make it happen. Did I mention I actually purchased the paint
about 6 months ago as well as accessories like new throw pillows, tropical wall
hangings and even a bold and beautiful hibiscus patterned area rug to place in
the living room? The only thing I didn’t seem to have was the actual time to
paint, but that all changed earlier this week, and I have my writing to thank
for it.
I have a routine where I write
for about 15 minutes every morning in my “morning pages journal.” Basically, I set aside this time to journal
anything and everything that pops into my mind.
Some mornings I feel as though I’m brilliant, other times I feel
somewhat foolish about the thoughts that are flowing from my mind to the paper. No matter what ends up on my pages, however,
one thing is always guaranteed—my mind will be free from anything that was
either bothering me or that I just had the urge to unload and the result always
leaves me feeling free and ready to take on the day.
As I was writing my “morning pages” one day last week, I
just couldn’t get the Caribbean makeover I’ve longed to have for so long out of
my mind. My pages were full of comments
about wispy palm trees, tranquil turquoise waters, and breathtaking coral reefs
glistening in the teal Caribbean ocean. I made up my mind once and for all that no matter what, I
would begin painting at least one room this week and would then schedule time
to paint a little bit nearly every day for the next month until it was done.
I’m pleased to announce that as of the time this blog post
was created, our living room has been transformed from walls of buttery yellow
to a soothing aqua with crisp white trim.
Not only did the change in color lift my spirits and get my creative
“writing juices” flowing, it also made a big impression on my children. They all commented on how “happy” this new
color made them feel.
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| This dramatic Caribbean Color Scheme inspires my mood and my writing! |
Colors are very personal and therefore based on your
individual preferences, and I definitely believe that some colors may place you
in a more creative mood than others. I
did some research on color and found that the core colors that inspire
creativity are orange and yellow:
•Orange is said to inspire creativity and enthusiasm.
•Yellow is said to inspire creativity, imagination and
inspiration.
So when thinking about using color to inspire creativity
consider various colors in turn and think about how those colors make you feel.
What thoughts, memories and experiences do the colors trigger? Do they elicit a
positive emotional response?
If you are adding color to a workspace to inspire creativity
you have to remember that at the end of the day it is your space and should
reflect your personality while also inspiring you to be creative.
Research shows that warm colors such as yellow, orange and
red dominate space and encourage conversation. Yellow increases energy flow and
inspires creativity, red stimulates and invites adrenaline rush.
Passive or cooler colors such as blue green and purple are
background colors and tend to have more of a calming effect. Blue is relaxing
and refreshing and helps induce peace and tranquility whereas green is
refreshing and is said to encourage emotional growth. Purple is mysterious and
comforting.
For a fun writing exercise, visit this color scheme designer which is
primarily used for picking colors to aid the development of web sites. Click on the different color combinations
(it’s an excellent site to assist you in selecting color combinations and various
shades of that color that complement each other) and write a few paragraphs
about anything that a particular color makes you think about or feel. Just be forewarned, once you're done writing,
you might be running to your local paint store to start a makeover of your own!
Does any particular color evoke something
magical or mysterious for you when you write?
Share your thoughts In the comment section.
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