Let's celebrate green / 5 reasons why we all adore this color of life and nature

Colors have a strong but also subconscious effect on our everyday lives. During my design studies, studying color was our most demanding and time consuming subject. As a visual artist I was taught how to influence and effect others with my use of the color spectrum and every few months we celebrate one of those colors here on the blog.

Green is the color of life, nature, renewal and energy. When I think about green I think off trees, walks in the forest, balance and harmony is associated with this color. But it also is symbol of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, ambition, fertility, and environment. Green is a color that has to be taken serious, it is mostly used for conscious and environmentally aware businesses but is also has a more negative side to it, green is associated with: greed, finances, banking and most importantly: jealousy. Well, for me the money stuff goed in the ‘negative’ pile. Maybe that is the reason why less commercial products are being sold in green. Black and white, pink and blue are far more popular and green was to be considered a ‘difficult’ color in sales. Thankfully all around the world people are getting more aware of their footprint and how their way of life affects mother nature. Green is no longer taboe but is quite a popular and well selling color.

1 // I love green personality
I personally adore green. All my life green has been my favorite color. I love a bright apple green but also love the pastel minty greens and all shades olive, grass and nature. I just painted my living room wall; another fresh green over the old olive color. If you are a green loving creature like me you might also like to be in touch with nature every once in a while. A walk in the forest keeps my head fresh and organized. You are probably a very compassionate person if you are a green-lover, you enjoy looking at yourself under a microscope and having an in dept relationship with yourself and others around you. Green gives you the energy to love, transform and open up to the world around you but also focus on inner health and being.

2 // Green & branding
Green always had a pretty dusty image. Just like nature. 20 years ago thinking about mother nature was only done by people who were wearing woolen socks and eating fresh veggies every day which was obviously not cool. My mom was one of those uncool people and we were very uncool kids. Our food was not wrapped in fancy packaging and not promoted and branded like candy, veggies were not cool. But, times have changed for the better. We are becoming more aware of our footprints and most of us now read ingredients when food is pre-packed. The green revival! People start caring. At last. Green used to be the color for serious law agencies and eco-products. Now the color has become a trend. Mint and olive are hot selling colors and pop up in new start-up logo’s for interior design, clothing. Green has become a lot more ‘every day’. And now actually sells.



3 // The color of love
Green is the color of the heart chakra. You might think of red when you think about the color of love but it is in fact green that influences acceptance and stimulates healing. Starting with self-acceptance you grow towards loving yourself and others. The deeper meaning of love. The heart chakra can be overly active or out of balance, this will affect relationships with friends and family. Surround yourself with green if you are having heart problems, lung problems or tention in muscles in your upper body. The heart is a place that has to be taken care of. Get yourself a dose of green every once in a while!

4 // Green ease
Studies have shown that people that were out in nature regularly are less stressed and are more in harmony with themselves and others. It made them more alive and grounded. Imagine getting out of that gym and doing some exercises outside, in a park. This environment is way more effective. Recently a study showed that kids with an ADHD ‘label’ benefit from a day in the park or playing in a forest. Not very surprisingly: when kids get in contact with nature they get more balanced. What a shock! (I am being sarcastic here…) We are so used to bringing our kids to school where they sit down in a classroom all day and well, of course they will have a break but those school playgrounds lack of green. Imagine those little ones focussing on the little leaves and moss, pine needles and twigs, climbing in trees and jumping over tiny streams of water. They will be so much more focussed after a nature break.

5 // Girls & boys
This year mint green has been our crazy hotselling color in prints that were licensed but also trending color on fabric and wallpaper. Mint green is a delecate gender neutral color and we love how this soft shade pops up in fashion and interiors all around the world. Green used to be one of the most difficult colors in sales but mint will be on trend staying strong for at least another few seasons.

Let's celebrate blue // 5 reasons why we all adore this color of strength and calm

Colors have a strong but also subconscious effect on our everyday lives. During my design studies, studying color was our most demanding and time consuming subject. As a visual artist I was taught how to influence and effect others with my use of the color spectrum.

Blue is the color that is most beloved color of the spectrum. It represents calm and piece and the color is often used for male related subjects all over the world. Blue relaxes and has a suiting and cooling effect in the soul. It's the color for inspiration and self exploration. It is the icy cold color that represents the winter season. Melancholia. With a little hint of yellow blue turns into a turquois that supports our spiritual senses and our road to awareness, confidence and self awareness. Studies have shown that when you are surrounded by blue, our minds are more clear and calm and there is more room for creativity. Good to know if you are in a creative profession like me. All though nowadays society sees blue as a gender related color, a color of masculinity and can be perceived as a cold, unemotional and unfriendly color. But there is a good reason to celebrate blue for all of us.

1 // I love blue personality
After blue, pink is the most beloved color of the spectrum. It works soothing and is associated with our masculine side. Is blue your favorite color? It will probably reflect in your personality. People that prefer blue over any other color are usually not very hot headed. They keep to themselves and are often creative, intuitive individuals. Do you have a need to be in charge and take control? Do friends see you as confident and creative?

2 // Blue & business
Are you the girl boss just like me? Do you have people working for you or are you manager in a big firm? Studies have shown that powerful woman wearing blue are seen as professional and formal. It might be a good color for negotiations and business meetings. But the color can also be perceived as cold and distant.

If you think about brands using blue for their logo you would probably come up with a lot of communication and tech related companies. A fresh blue is clean, classy and trustworthy, at least that is how most people perceive the color. Using a darker blue will give the brand credibility, it is often used for conservative brands that like to be taken seriously. A very formal color often used in finance and legal businesses. Blue is often used in medical professions too, nurses, dentists, and also often used for uniforms. There is no color to ease the nerves better than blue.



3 // The Blue City
As you might know, since I only mention it everywhere: I adore India. The city of Jodhpur, also known as the Blue City, is one of the sunniest and also warmest cities in Rajasthan. Most of the houses are painted in a fresh bright blue. Traditionally the color was used by the Brahmin caste who housed themselves in these blue homes to differentiate themselves from the other casts. Blue was considered to be the color of the psyche but nowadays these homes also serve the purpose of a tourist attraction and I must say it is a beautiful sight.

4 // The royal color
Blue pigments have a long rich history. Blue, the ultramarine pigment to be more precise used to be the most expensive pigment of the color spectrum during the Renaissance. The color was not easy to get therefore blue is related to wealth, it was an expensive and prestigious color in European paintings and was mostly used for Royalty. Blue was a difficult color to extract. During the same period our European blue got some competition from indigo. The brighter indigo pigment had to come all the way from India. Maybe you have heard of Delft Blue porcelain? Of course the blue porcelain came from Asia originally but it was only a matter of time before these pigments arrived at Europe's main ports and we were able to use blue in porcelain, decoration, fabrics and art too.

5 // Girls & boys
Of course whether it is subconsciously or because we were brought up in a world of pink and blue, we woman all feel a little more girly when we are dressed in pink and we choose a soft blue for our little boys nursery since it represents masculinity. Soft shades of blue calm the mind and improve concentration. A great color for your little boys room. But personally I think we now are at a point in time when we all want to let go of the little girl boy box too.

Let's celebrate pink / 5 reasons why we all adore this color of positivity and optimism

Colors have a strong but also subconscious effect on our everyday lives. During my design studies, studying color was our most demanding and time consuming subject. As a visual artist I was taught how to influence and effect others with my use of the color spectrum.

Pink is the color of compassion, optimism and love. Pink is soft and warm and often used for feminine related subjects. With a little hint of red this is a passionate color that will give you a calm balanced energy and triggers positivity. Studies have shown that when you are surrounded by pink, negative influences have lower impact. All though nowadays society sees pink as a gender related color, a color of feminism and romance, there is a good reason to celebrate pink for all of us.

1 // I love pink personality
After blue, pink is the most beloved color of the spectrum. It works soothing and is associated with our nurturing side. Is pink your favorite color? It will probably reflect in your personality. People that prefer pink over any other color are usually a little more sensitive to the needs of others. Do you have a need to protect and take care of others? Do friends see you as warm and easy to approach? The color represents a nurturing part in us.

2 // Pink & branding
Pink logo's are usually made for feminine businesses. Such as beauty parlors and massage salons, fashion brands and glossy magazines. To attract more female clients this is the color to use for your brand. It is soft, warm and open. A good combination to attract people to your business. To add a little more professionalism and sophistication pink is usually combined with a strong gray or black. To keep it light, youthful and fresh, on younger female market, pink is usually mixed with whites and pastels that enhance the softer side of the color.



3 // The color of motherhood
It is impossible to give birth to a daughter an not receive pink gifts. But even though we see pink as a female gender color match, it is the softness, warmth and nurturing effect that drives us to make things pink. It might be why pink is mostly represented on the market even though blue is the most favored one.

4 // pink & business
Are you the girl boss just like me? Do you have people working for you or are you manager in a big firm? Studies have shown that powerful woman wearing pink are seen as more approachable, warm and calm. Most female CEO's wear strong colors and are seen as superior.

5 // Girls & boys
Of course whether it is subconsciously or because we were brought up in a world of pink, we woman all feel a little more girly when we are dressed in pink or decorate our house with a hint of pink in there. But I personally think we now are at a point in time when we all want to let go of the little girl boy box too. Woman might be a little warmer, softer and maybe have an instinct to nurture, all of that is also part of men. And no, not only gay people have a softer side there. Pink is not a color to separate from gender. Think about all the romantic gestures that are related to love and also marriage, pink is also a color of romance that brings people together. Embrace the softer side.

Fun fact: traditionally pink was a color used for boys in Belgium

Pink has been a girl-only color for a long time but there is a more conscious trend going around. We all have the need to get back to nature, eat more healthy, purify our lives, consume less. So if we talk about pink it is usually from the nurture point of view. Do consumers really want pink for there girls or are we taught to choose pink over any other color? Pink will be battling between nature and nurture. But it is good to see a blossoming gender neutral market. Even in our business we see a growing demand on gender neutral themes and colors.



But what if you don't like pink?
Usually a strong reaction on color comes from a subconscious level. Of course you can dislike a color but if you really feel like you hate the color pink it might relate to a disbalance within. Did you grow up in a safe environment where you felt nurtured and taken care of? Do you woman feel feminine?

I never necessarily liked pink much and if I see it from a psychological point of view, yes this strong reaction might have something to do with me on a more personal level. I see that designer colleagues and friends that run there own businesses all have a little thing against this crazy popular color. Is it because it is forced on us woman to relate with everything pink? Or are we out of touch with our feminine side? Or just quirky designers that take a prefer a different approach?

Nevertheless pink works for me personally but also in our Little Smilemakers design business. Our pink designs are most popular, people are crazy for pink! And working on a market for new borns is kind of awesome. Yes, that triggers our warm, motherly sides too. I wonder if you can relate to this topic. Do leave a comment if you have something to say about this topic.