What's in a name?
I've always been a bit fascinated by the marketing of products. How companies choose their product labelling and placement, for instance, is largely based on the human psyche. Which colours we prefer in certain situations is just one factor on which marketing companies base their marketing decisions and it's based in fact.
There is a ton of research on how certain colours make us feel, which is why paint colours are so important in the decor. I think the hardest thing to do when starting a decorating project is choosing the 'right' wall colour, whatever that may be to you. Personal tastes, life experiences and trends play a part in what colours we finally choose for our home. Another factor that may help finalize a consumer's colour choice is the colour name. If, for example, you are hedging between two paint colours for your space and one has a name that touches you emotionally in some way, you'll most likely go with the great name.
Paint colour names are a bit like a designer label, if you will. We'll choose to boast about having Olive Essence paint colour (I just made that one up) on our walls before we'll quote the technical paint colour number of AY0077, for instance. Names give the colour and the space in they're in an emotional connection to us. That's why when General Paint ran a contest last year in conjunction with House and Home magazine to name the new paint colours for its new environmental paint colour line in 2008, they were bombarded with contest entries.
General Paint's Down to Earth collection boasts muted earthy tones that are inspired by nature and contest winners hit the nail on the head. Paint names like Double Churned and Organic Egg immediately give you an idea of what the colour will be before you even see it and also evoke feelings of a simpler time.
Winnipeg winner Shannon S. won with her paint name of Melting Icicles, which she said was inspired from the 'first melt with the water droplets glistening as they drip from the eavestroughs.' If that doesn't make you feel hopeful for spring, I don't know what would. Every person has a colour story. The naming of every colour on the new "Down to Earth" colour card shows how passionate people are about colour and their connection to a specific colour for their home. So, to sum it up, there's more to colour than meets the eye, if you will.
How do paint companies choose their colours each year?
I interviewed Yvonne Provençal, who is General Paint's brand and service manager. She's also a senior colour designer for the international Color Marketing Group and one of only two Canadians in this prestigious group responsible for establishing colour trends.
"These colours have been selected to help restore balance, to counteract uncertainty and stress, and to comfort," says Provençal. "They reflect our desire for peaceful environments and our need to escape from our hectic world. The importance of quality family time, relationships and the comfort of our home is paramount. These colours evoke the feeling that it's time to softly close the door and find fulfilment in our space wherever it may be."
Provençal says that "colour experts search the world for inspiration. It could be the kingfisher blue of an Indian sari, the sleek shine of a copper bowl or an elusive shade of grey found in a stormy sea. The important element is to explore how colours are influenced by what's happening in our world."
Social issues, sustainability, the environment, the economy and culture all play a part. "It is an understanding of these influences that provides the most useful information" says Provençal. These influences and inspirations are carefully blended to bring life to colours, which go through tough, rigorous rounds of revisions until the palettes are finally refined.
So, if you find yourself in a pickle about what colour(s) to choose for your home, there may be many reasons as to why you are having difficulty. There are so many personal factors that can play havoc with your emotions that may make you unsure of any decision you make. Factors like how you're feeling on the day you're choosing a colour, to what's going on in your life in general. In the end, you just have to trust your gut. What makes you feel good is probably the way to go. If in doubt, check out the colour name. It may help you decide. Get help from paint manufacturers with co-ordinating colours and go for it. It is only paint after all.
